HEALTH ISSUE CONSTIPATION
The
High-fibre
diet
Eating enough fibre is essential for maintaining
a healthy gut and digestive system, yet most of us
only get around 60% of the amount experts suggest
we should be consuming daily. Re-tuning your diet
can also help lower your risk of serious illnessTHEDIETINANUTSHELL
Alongwithadequatehydration, fibre is
essentialforyourgutto function normally
andtoavoidconstipation by making stools
softerandeasiertopass. Good regular intakes
arealsorelatedtoa reduced risk of type 2
diabetes,heartdiseaseand bowel cancer.
Dietaryfibreisthepart of a plant that your
digestivesystemcan’tdigest and absorb
throughyoursmallintestine. As a result,
thisfibrousmaterialmakes
it intothelargeintestine,
whereit ispartiallybroken
downbybacteria.Itincludes
polysaccharidesand
oligosaccharides,aswell as
lignin(thefibreinplants that
helpstokeepthemupright).
Theaverageadultinthe UK
iseatingaround18gfibre each
day,butthedailygoalis 30g.
Formostpeople,a fibre intake at
thislevel,whengoodfluid levels are
alsomaintained,would help to relieve the
symptomsofconstipation.WHAT’SONTHEMENU?
■Oats,oatbran,sugarfree muesli.
■Pulses,vegetablesand fruits.
■Nuts(especiallymonkey nuts, as you
eattheskin)andseeds(especially linseed
andchiaseeds).■ Sweet potatoes, potatoes with their skins,
wholemeal and wholegrain breads.
■ Check food labels for grams of fibre per
serving and per 100g. Food is considered
‘high fibre’ if it contains at least 6g per
100g and a ‘source of fibre’ if it contains
at least 3g per 100g.WHAT A TYPICAL DAY’S MENU
PLAN COULD LOOK LIKE
Breakfast 40g unsweetened
muesli with 100g grated apple.
Snack 20g almonds and
20g raisins.
Lunch Wholegrain pasta shapes
(70g raw weight) with 100g tuna
(in olive oil) and 80g sweetcorn.
Snack 1 slice wholemeal bread
spread with 10g cashew butter.
Dinner Chicken and barley
vegetable casserole with a baked
sweet potato.
Total 1,500 calories and 36g fibreWILL THIS DIET SUIT YOU?
Consult your doctor before increasing your
fibre if you have inflammatory bowel disease
or irritable bowel disease. It’s important to
rule out underlying medical reasons for
constipation and to increase your fibre intake
gradually to avoid symptoms such as bloating
and gas and allow your gut to adjust.G O E AT
Forrecipes
thatarehigh
infibre,
seep68–p696