Even though carbs seem to be the macronutrient that we currently love to hate when it comes to fat loss there are benefits that can be easily forgotten. Carbs are not just our main energy source they also contain much needed fibre. Research has shown that ensuring enough fibre, has a positive effect on reducing heart disease, stroke and colorectal cancer risk. Even with these benefits research has also shown that as a population we are falling short by around 40% of the recommended amount of approximately 30g per day.

4 Reasons to up your fibre

• Reduced risk of heart disease, stoke, colorectal cancer and diabetes.
• Great support for a healthy gut.
• Can be beneficial for IBS sufferers.
• Can be helpful for weight management.

There are two types of fibre to get to grips with, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre found in foods like oats, barley, sweet potatoes and beans, they slow digestion which can be helpful if you suffer from IBS-D. Digested and fermented by bacteria in the colon they are great for gut health as they help form your pooh, yep I said it! They also help with blood sugar control and cholesterol levels. Insoluble fibre or roughage found in fruits, nuts, whole-wheat bread. They enhance the transit time of foods through the gut so can help IBS-C sufferers. They add bulk to your stools so make them easier to pass.

How should I increase my fibre?

Generally, foods that are high in fibre are fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, peas, beans and pulses, potatoes (skin on).

• Swap white pasta for wholemeal pasta
• Choose a whole-grain bread (more on this to come)
• Keep frozen fruits and vegetable to add to your meals. Frozen has the added bonus of a good amount of nutrients as the nutrients is locked in at the point of freezing which is normally very soon after its picked, unlike fresh which stays in the fridge losing its nutrients over time.
• Snack on raw veg, oatcakes and some fruits after washing (skin on).
• Add beans and pulse and veggies to your chilli or bolognese to bulk them out with added fibre.

NOTE: If increasing your fibre go slow so as to avoid any upset to your digestion with bloating and gas. Give your gut time to adjust. Ensure enough fluid intake to help the fibre do its work.

Why whole grains?

Whole grains have been linked to a number of health benefits, reduced heart disease being one, however they also have a positive effect on weight maintenance and weight reduction if needed. The fact that they contain phytochemicals, fibre and good fats is thought to be the reason that they are so good for our health unlike refined carbohydrates which are usually combined with sugar and fats to make foods like breads, cakes and biscuits.

A word to the wise, watch out for labelling on foods that claim to be, seeded, multigrain or wholesome. These can be misleading words to make you think they are whole grain. So how do you know if its high in fibre? The ratio of carbs to fibre in a genuine whole grain is approximately 10 grams carbs for every gram of fibre. This ratio has been shown to help work out if your carb is good quality and as close to whole grain as possible.

Heres a simple way to check:

Look on the food label, either per 100g or per portion. Multiply the grams of fibre by 10. What number did you get? You are aiming for this number to be larger than the grams of total carbohydrates. This signals that you’ve got a healthful whole-grain food.

So you can see fibre matters, it may be worth checking if you need to reduced refined carbs and gradually increasing some fibre into your diet.

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