Fibre

Dietary fibres are found in unprocessed plant foods, which is why they are often neglected in the modern Western diet. In this post you will learn the most important facts about dietary fibre and what you can do to get enough of it.

Functions

Although dietary fibres are mainly indigestible food components, they fulfil various functions in our body. They have both physico-chemical and physiological properties within our digestive system and are classified according to these. Dietary fibres stimulate saliva formation, which contributes to dental health because it neutralises the pH value. They lead to a lasting feeling of satiety because fibre-rich foods require longer chewing and delay gastric emptying. High-fibre foods are beneficial for the glucose metabolism because the release of the food pulp is slower and thus the blood glucose level remains more constant. At the same time, the transit time increases, the greater volume stimulates digestion, which leads to normalised bowel emptying and harmful substances remain in the body for less time. Fermentation leads to the formation of short-chain fatty acids, which stabilises the intestinal bacteria. This keeps the colon mucosa nourished and intact and it also promotes the reabsorption of water and sodium. The short-chain fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory effect and inhibit excessive growth of mucosal cells. In addition, dietary fibre binds foreign substances and toxins, bile acid, steroids and cholesterol and excretes them. Fibre has a prebiotic effect, which means it is food for our microbiome, which leads to a balanced bacterial composition and so it becomes more difficult for pathogenic germs to survive. There are also a few disadvantages to a high fibre diet, but these are negligible compared to the benefits. Fibre also binds minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium. However, high-fibre foods contain more of these minerals, which balances it out. Fibre can also cause flatulence or intestinal constipation.

Occurrence

Dietary fibre is found in all unprocessed plant foods. In contrast, animal products contain no (0%) fibre. White flour and white rice are also low in fibre, precisely because they no longer contain it. Therefore, whole grains are preferable.
Fibre is found in the following food groups:

• whole grains and pseudo grains.
• legumes
• fruits
• vegetables
• nuts and seeds

The different dietary fibres have different effects, which is why a varied diet is important. In addition, you should drink enough fluids, as dietary fibre can bind water. A change to a high-fibre diet should be made gradually so that the intestines can slowly get used to it.

Recommended intake and supply

The recommended intake is 30g/day. 68% of men and 75% of women are below this level. In comparison, vegans consume an average of 58g/day of dietary fibre. This means that they have the highest intake of all diets.