You may have heard about fibre, you may even know that it's good for you. However, many people don't understand the different types of fibre, but more importantly, they don't know how much to consume and where to find it. The recommendation for healthy adults is 38 g/day for men and 25 g/day for women.
Soluble fibre has been shown to help reduce blood cholesterol and control blood sugar levels. It can be found in foods such as oatmeal, beans, peas, barley, citrus fruit, flax seeds, etc.
Insoluble fibre is important for maintaining normal bowel function; it passes through the digestive system relatively unchanged. This type is found in foods such as whole wheat breads, wheat cereals, cabbage, beets, carrots, turnips, cauliflower, etc.
Once again this shows the importance of variety in your diet to ensure that you get both types of fibre. When increasing fibre in your diet also make sure you drink plenty of water. A simple first step you can take is to compare food labels in the grocery store and challenge yourself to choose foods with a higher fibre content.
Steph Wheler
www.nutrishus.com
