OR: The amazing stuff that is FIBRE
As you know, I am passionate about gut health -in fact, I am an absolute gut nut! Once you start looking into the impact your gut and the bacteria that live there have on your overall health and wellbeing (and I am talking both physical and mental health), you will understand why.
Let me into a little secret: the single most important thing that the majority of us** can do is...drumroll...introduce more fibre into our diet. That simple? Yep - it is!
First off, what exactly is fibre?
Dietary fibre is the edible parts of plants which cannot be broken down by digestion or absorbed in the small intestine. Instead, it moves along to the large intestine where it is completely or partially broken down by bacteria. In fact, fibre is the food our gut bacteria (the friendly critters) thrive on. It is also called "prebiotic" - you may have come across this term before.
The problem is that in the UK (and most of the Western world), the average fibre intake for adults is far too low. In the UK it is around 18g when it should be at least 30g. Check out one of the native tribes, the Hadza, in Tanzania where the daily intake is a minimum of 100g and chronic metabolic diseases are almost unheard of. Food for thought indeed.
Where to find fibre? The short answer is: plants! I always go on about plant diversity in our diet and this is exactly why. Plant foods such as vegetables, fruits, grains, herbs, spices...they all provide their own unique mix of fibre.
Before you start shovelling fibre by the sack-load, remember to increase your intake slowly to avoid bloating and gas and allow your gut to adjust to the higher intake. Why? You need to establish a good colony of friendly critters who have the enzymes* to break down the fibre - humans only have 20 enzymes for this; the estimated number of enzymes our gut bacteria has runs into the tens of thousands. So, start slowly! You can also help things along by keeping hydrated.
Intrigued to find out more? I will soon make my "Happy Gut - Happy You" online course available to a broader audience, so keep your eyes peeled for information on how to join.
Here is to a healthy gut!
*Enzymes are proteins which help break down elements in the body by starting chemical reactions - think of them as scissors that help chop things up
**PLEASE NOTE: if you suffer with IBD/colitis or related conditions, please seek the advice of your health care professional before changing your diet as a high fibre diet may be detrimental to your condition
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