I've been reading loads about fibre lately and given the results of so many recent studies I thought it deserved to be talked about. It's particularly relevant to prevention of chronic diseases and healthful ageing. For example:
In a recent study by Westmead Institute for Medical Research, subjects with the highest fibre intake had an 80% greater likelihood of living a long and healthy life over the study period. “Successful” ageing was defined as an absence of disability, depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, respiratory symptoms, and chronic diseases including cancer, coronary artery disease, and stroke. Out of all the variables that they looked at, fibre intake had the strongest influence.
A major review by Harvard University has found that whole grains also seem to prevent early death and lower the chance of dying from cancer. In 12 studies involving 800,000 people they found that eating 70g of whole grains a day – the equivalent of a large bowl of porridge – lowers the risk of all-cause death by 22% and death from cancer by 20%.
Eating whole grains, which are full of fibre, helps lower cholesterol, helps regulate blood sugar, keeps people full for longer, boosts bone mineral density, lowers blood pressure, promotes healthy gut bacteria and reduces the risk of diabetes. I like to think of whole grains as the sort of thing where you can actually see the entire grain, like with quinoa or buckwheat or barley. And I would argue that it is better to eat the grains themselves rather than grain products. As my mentor said to me, "Eat the brown rice, not the brown rice pasta."
Study after study proves the benefits of eating fibre for better health, yet so many Americans and British fail to meet the basic suggestions. Men should aim for 30-38grams and women should aim for 21-25 grams per day. The average amount consumed is a paltry 15 grams. One reason for this is that processed wheat, meat, dairy and sugar have no fibre, and the Standard American Diet (and the British one as well) is based on these items. Want more persuasion? Dr Michael Greger, author of the ominously titled book, How Not to Die, suggests eating THREE servings of beans or pulses each day. Such is the importance of fibre!
So what are high fibre foods, you ask? Here are the top ones:
- Beans and pulses
- Nuts and seeds
- Whole grains (especially barley and oatmeal)
- Popcorn
- Berries
- Cruciferous veg (broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, etc.)
- Dark leafy greens
- Avocados
- Pears
How to get more of these ingredients into your day?
- Chia seeds are packed with fibre and can be added into smoothies, batter, etc. (see last week’s post)
- Ground flax seed can be added into pancakes or waffles, or can be used as breading
- Oats can be milled / ground in the blender and used as flour. Oat bran can be added to smoothies
- Try banana bread, chocolate zucchini muffins, carrot cake
- Sprinkle nuts and seeds on top of your porridge
- Eat homemade soups, stews, and chilli full of beans and veg
- Add chick peas to your tray of roast veg, or add them to your curry
- Snack on edamame or crudité with hummus
- Salads can be the perfect platform for more fibre - top with chick peas or edamame, sprinkle with nuts and seeds, incorporate bits of cooked veg, add raspberries, etc.
- try overnight oats, as they contain even more resistant fibre when they are raw
- consider making porridge out of barley - recent studies show its particular kind of fibre as seriously health-promoting
