By Judy Davie
**”How important is fibre if you don’t have any problems with regularity? And what is the difference between soluble and insoluble fibre?”
— Erin**
Fibre is important for many reasons, not just for keeping the body “regular”. Fibre protects the health of the intestinal tract by increasing the bulk of stools and decreasing the time they take to pass through the body. Imagine fibre as an intestinal broom, ensuring that toxic substances do not stick and linger on the intestinal walls. Bowel regularity is linked to a decreased risk of colon cancer, as well as other conditions such as haemorrhoids. A diet high in fibre not only prevents diseases but creates slow and even food absorption from your intestines, therefore keeping insulin levels steady and promoting the use of food for energy rather than being stored as body fat.
There are two types of fibre, soluble and insoluble. Water-soluble fibres are the gums found in grains, eg. oats, flaxseeds, legumes and pectins, which are the edible portion of seeds, vegetables and fruits (particularly apples). Recent research has shown that soluble fibre helps lower cholesterol, possibly by binding to bile acids (made from cholesterol to digest dietary fats) and then excreting them.
Insoluble fibres promote bowel regularity and are found in vegetables such as leafy greens, nuts and seeds and the bran of wheat and other wholegrains. Insoluble fibre is said to help alleviate diverticulitis and irritable bowel syndrome.
For a healthy diet, it is recommended that you consume 25-35g of fibre a day. Below is a list of some common foods and their fibre content.
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