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Welcome to a world where dietary fibre is not just a mundane addition to your plate, but a superfood that can transform your health and well-being.
Dietary fibre is the unsung hero of our digestive system, providing a range of benefits that go far beyond just preventing constipation. From reducing the risk of chronic diseases to boosting our immune system, the benefits of dietary fibre are truly remarkable.
So, if you’re ready to discover the power of this humble nutrient, grab a cup of coffee (because it’s good for you, read here if you don’t believe us right now) and settle in for an eye-opening journey into the world of dietary fibre.
In this article, we’ll reveal to you what is dietary fibre, its functions, benefits, myths attached, and a few interesting facts; nothing will be said without scientific studies strengthening the claims.
Let’s start with a simple dietary fibre definition. In the food that we eat, not every bit is digestible to our gut. Dietary fibre is a type of carbohydrate found in plant-based foods that the body cannot fully digest or absorb.
Due to this, it passes through the digestive system largely intact, providing bulk to stool and aiding in regular bowel movements. Because of these abilities, dietary fibres are also known as ‘roughage’ or ‘bulk’.
These fibres are mainly of two types:
Soluble fibre can easily be dissolved in water, thereby creating a gel-like texture. This gel-like texture provides movement to the stool and makes it pass easily. If you’ve ever mixed hot milk in oats, you must have noticed a slime-like texture taking shape, it is because of the presence of soluble fibre.
On the other hand, in soluble fibre cannot be dissolved in water; this quality makes it provide bulk to the stools. But where does it come from?
Different dietary fibre foods provide our bodies with different types of fibre. Depending upon the need of your body, you must tune up or down your intake of these foods. Here are the different types of food rich in dietary fibre:
| Foods rich in soluble fibre | Foods rich in in soluble fibre |
|---|---|
| Oats and oatmeal Barley Beans and legumes (e.g., lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans) Apples Citrus fruits (e.g., oranges, grapefruit) Berries (e.g., strawberries, raspberries) Pears Psyllium husk Flaxseeds Chia seeds Brussels sprouts Broccoli Carrots Sweet potatoes Avocados Nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts) Soy products (e.g., tofu, soy milk) | Whole-grain bread and pasta Wheat bran Brown rice Barley Corn and popcorn Nuts and seeds (e.g., almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds) Vegetables with skin (e.g., potatoes, green beans, zucchini) Fruit with skin (e.g., apples, pears) Cabbage Brussels sprouts Broccoli Cauliflower Carrots Celery Onions Potatoes |
But how much fibre should one intake in a day?
The amount of dietary fibre that one should consume daily depends on various factors, such as age, sex, and activity level. Here is the recommended intake according to the Institute of Medicine:
| Age (Years) | Dietary Fibre DRI (g/d) | |
| Children | 01-03 | 19 |
| 04-08 | 25 | |
| Female | 09-13 | 26 |
| 14-18 | 26 | |
| 19-50 | 25 | |
| 50+ | 21 | |
| Male | 09-13 | 31 |
| 14-18 | 38 | |
| 19-50 | 38 | |
| 50+ | 30 |
It is important to note that many foods contain both soluble and insoluble fibre, and a healthy diet should include a balance of both types. (1)
The average American eats only about 15 grams of fibre per day, which is much lower than the recommended daily intake. (2)
While dietary fibres don’t get digested by our bodies, they still offer tremendous benefits. But before we move on to their many benefits, let’s understand the dietary fibre function.
Your creative brain might easily question that if fibre is indigestible by our bodies and does not provide any nutrient support, why do we need it?
Well, when it comes to the human body, it works in many different ways. Although the intake of energy and nutrient is vital, it is not the only requirement. This is similar to the function of greasing in machinery. Grease does not make the vehicle run, but it helps the vehicle run smoothly and efficiently.
The dietary fibre function is somewhat similar; fibres add bulk to the stool and help regulate bowel movements. By absorbing water and increasing the volume of stool, these fibres help prevent constipation and promote regularity.
What more? Fibre also slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, which can be beneficial for individuals with diabetes.
Another function of dietary fibre is to promote feelings of fullness and satiety. High-fibre foods take longer to chew and digest, which can help reduce overall calorie intake by promoting a feeling of fullness with fewer calories consumed.
Certain types of dietary fibre, such as soluble fibre, can also act as prebiotics, providing food for beneficial bacteria in the gut.
While the human body cannot digest dietary fibre, it plays an important role in maintaining digestive health and overall well-being.
Humans are not the only beings that eat fibre. Some omnivorous animals, such as primates, also consume significant amounts of dietary fibre as part of their diets. It is done because of its many benefits. Let’s emphasize the importance of dietary fibre by looking at the many benefits it offers.
No matter if millions you earn, disrupted digestive health can make you curse your life. Good digestive health has been attributed to peace and prosperity not only in the Vedic wisdom but also in the other scriptures. Dietary fibre aids and enhances digestion, thereby promoting bowel health.
Fibre adds bulk to the stool and helps it pass easily. Most diseases root when the stools are not passed and the food is not digested properly. Also, prebiotics (a type of dietary fibre) acts as the food for the healthy gut bacteria in our intestines.
This helps them sustain and grow in number. When the number of good bacteria increases, they work like a healthy workforce digesting food effectively and efficiently. The better the digestion, the better overall health remains. (3)
By adding bulk to the stool, preventing constipation, promoting stool regularity, feeding healthy gut bacteria, and lowering the risk of bowel disorders, dietary fibre aids digestion and bowel health.
Increased cholesterol levels clog the blood vessels. This often blocks the blood supply to the heart and leads to a number of heart diseases.
Soluble fibre, by binding itself to the bile acids in the intestine and preventing their absorption, lowers cholesterol levels. This helps reduce the risk of several heart diseases. (4)
Fibre intake can affect the gut microbiome, trillions of bacteria that live in our digestive tract, which influences overall health.
Obesity has become a pandemic that is consuming people every day at a constantly increasing rate. Today, 13% of the world suffers from obesity, whereas, 39% suffer due to being overweight. The prime reasons behind this are poor diet, less physical activity, and overeating. (5)
Nearly 537 million adults suffer from diabetes today, 1 in 10, and this number is set to rise further. This disease, in its more brutal form, leads to heart disease, stroke, high BP, atherosclerosis, etc. (6)
Dietary fibre cannot be broken down and digested by our bodies. Eating these carbs slows down the absorption of digestible carbs in our bodies; because carbs lead to a sudden spike in insulin release, this slowed absorption puts control over sudden release. This increased spike in insulin is the reason behind blood sugar and diabetes.
Having a diet high in fibre thus leads to better regulation of blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of developing conditions like type 2 diabetes. (7)
Intake of required dietary fibre has been associated with a lowered risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, etc. Here is how it does the same:
Always increase your fibre intake gradually to allow your body to adapt and avoid any discomfort like bloating, gas, and cramping.
We all understand how a healthy diet leads to a healthy lifestyle; however, bringing this knowledge into practice is one of the toughest mountains to climb in the world. So, here is how you must try incorporating dietary fibre into your lifestyle:
Today, countries like America suffer from low fibre intake, and that too below 50%. This low fibre intake has been linked to numerous health-related downfalls. Here is what could happen to your body if you stay low on your dietary fibre:
The human body functions gracefully when all its needs for micro and macronutrients are met. Dietary fibre, although is an indigestible part that our body can’t process, is still vital to our health. Our guts work like powerhouses to our bodies; the better they stay, the more we giggle and laugh.
By providing bulk and motion to our stools and being food for our gut microbiome, it enhances our gut and overall health. This keeps us far away from deadly diseases like diabetes, heart issues, obesity, colorectal cancer, etc.
The best way to have fibre is to go for natural dietary fibre foods. This is to ensure that not only you get fibre but other nutrients as well. Supplements can be taken if you are unable to get enough of them from whole foods.
Throughout history, cultures have recognized the wisdom of incorporating fibre-rich foods into their diets for optimal health and longevity. So keep up the good work and let your gut have its blessings.
There is no evidence of the adverse effects of fibre supplements like psyllium husk when taken in the recommended quantity.
High-fibre food is said to have a positive effect on the kidney.
Yes, fibre can help reduce gas. However, you must incorporate high-fibre slowly into your diet.
Insoluble fibre, found in many root vegetables and cruciferous vegetables, corn, wheat barn, etc remains fibrous inside the stomach. This causes the food to pass quickly from the intestine and may sometime cause a feeling of gas when taken in large quantities.
