Fibre me up!

A study has found that the mean fibre intake of Malaysians is only about 13 to 16g, which does not meet the national population intake goal of 20 to 30g a day.-SPONSORED-

Dietary fibre comes from the edible parts of plants, and are analogous of carbohydrates that are resistant to digestion and absorption in the human small intestine.

It can be found in grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, vegetables and fruits. Consuming these plant sources help to provide fibre in the diet.

Dietary fibre has long been associated with health benefits related to gut health, satiety, weight management and cardiovascular disease.

However, one study found that mean fibre intake among Malaysians is only about 13g to 16g, which does not meet the national population intake goal of 20g to 30g a day.

This lack of fibre intake can be explained by inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables. In addition, this problem is compounded by the habit of eating out frequently, as revealed in the Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey (MANS) carried out in 2014.

Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of vitamins and minerals, and are also good sources of dietary fibre.

Soluble fibre (oats is one source) dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance in the gut. This helps to slow down the process of digestion, so that sugar is released and absorbed gradually into the bloodstream.

There are two types of dietary fibre: insoluble and soluble. Each helps the body in different ways, therefore, it is important to eat a variety of cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables so that variety in dietary fibre is maximised.

Insoluble fibre does not dissolve in water. This type of fibre acts like a sponge in the gut, adding bulk to the stool, thus helping ease stool passage through the large intestine, which helps to relieve constipation.

Nuts, seeds, whole wheat, vegetables, and fruits eaten together with the skin, are good sources of insoluble fibre.

Soluble fibre dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance in the gut. This helps to slow down the process of digestion, so that sugar is released and absorbed gradually into the bloodstream.

Soluble fibre helps to keep stools soft, making them easier to pass out, which also helps to aid in preventing or treating constipation.

It is also known to bind with bile acids in the small intestine, removing them from the body.

The loss of bile acids will stimulate the liver to increase cholesterol uptake, hence reducing bad cholesterol in the body.

Soluble fibre is found in oats, beans, citrus fruits, sweet potato and barley, among others.

On top of that, some researchers have found that certain soluble fibres such as inulin, oligofructose and FOS (fructo-oligosaccharide) serve as food sources to the good bacteria in the gut.

Onions are a good source of prebiotics.

These good bacteria have very important functions to perform, which include strengthening the bowel wall, facilitating absorption of essential nutrients, producing hormones that control appetite and anxiety, and more.

These fibres are called prebiotics. Food sources high in prebiotics include asparagus, garlic, onion, leek and banana. Some food contain both soluble and insoluble fibres, such as oats and beans.

Hence, we should eat a wide variety of high-fibre food to receive the greatest health benefits.

Below are some tips to increase one’s dietary fibre intake:

1. Include two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables in a day 

• Fill half a plate with vegetables during main meals.

• Ask for more mustard greens (sawi) or taugeh added into your noodles soup or curry noodles when eating out.

• Make sure fruits are always available in the fridge. Take it as dessert after meals or a snack in between meals.

• Add more fresh fruits into every meal. It is a sweet way to add fibre into your diet.

Maggi has just introduced a steamed noodles cake made from 51 whole grain oats and 49 high protein wheat that provides 18 of the recommended daily fibre intake for adults.

2. Go whole grain 

• Substitute refined food products with a whole grain product – such as eating whole meal bread instead of white bread, noodles made from oats or using whole wheat flour instead of refined flour. 

• Be creative in your cooking. Oats can be added into both sweet or savoury food. Add them to your fresh fruits yoghurt mix, or into idli, pancakes, soups or curries.

3. Include nuts, seeds, beans and legumes into your daily diet

• Substitute animal protein with beans/legumes once or twice a week. 

• Take one handful of nuts or seeds a day as a snack (e.g. cashew nuts, almonds, sunflower seeds).

4. Read food labels 

• Compare the fibre content of two similar products based on one serving or per 100g. Then choose the one that contains more fibre.

5. Do not forget to hydrate

• Increased fibre intake should be coupled with adequate hydration as well. Fibre pulls water into the intestine, which can aggravate rather than alleviate constipation. Therefore, drink at least eight glasses of water a day.

- Source: The Star Online