Fibre is a Carbohydrate that is provided solely by plant material. Plant cell walls are made up of a compound called cellulose, which constitutes the bulk of dietary fibre.
Fibrous molecules are not digestible by the human body and serve to aid in:
· Digestion
· Toxin excretion
· Reduction of cholesterol in the blood stream
Insoluble Fibre
Insoluble fibre does not dissolve in water, which allows fibre molecules to act as an irritant in the colon, encouraging bacterial growth and in turn increasing fermentation.
Insoluble fibre also adds bulk to solid waste and causes it to retain some water which allows the waste to move through the colon more easily and avoids excess drying and compaction.
Sources of insoluble fibre:
· Wholegrains
· Vegetable
· Fruit peel
· Nuts
· Seeds
Soluble Fibre
Soluble fibre dissolves in water and also aids in avoiding constipation through retaining some water in the faeces, allowing it to move through the colon more freely.
In addition, soluble fibre binds cholesterol which prevents it from entering the blood stream and contributing to heart disease.
The presence of soluble fibre throughout the digestion process maintains a constant rate of digestion, helping to avoid spikes in blood sugar levels. Therefore, it plays a huge role preventing diabetes or adding it to the diet on every day basis helps maintain Type 2 Diabetes. The fibre plays huge part in weight loss too as it keeps your tummy longer fulfilled and you won’t feel hungry soon again after meals.
Soluble Fibre can be found:
· Dried fruit (always read the product label before buying it as most of the dried fruits are boosted with lots of sugar)
· Soya products
· Oatmeal
· Lentils
· Fruit
· Vegetable
