From experience, a nutrient that people don’t consume enough of is Fibre. You may have heard that fibre keeps our digestive systems healthy but what is it??
Fibre is made up of the indigestible parts of plants which pass through your stomach and intestines relatively unchanged. Dietary fibre is found only in plant foods – cereal grains & products made from them, fruits, vegetables (especially legumes), seeds and nuts.
Now, why so important?
1. Foods that are high in dietary fibre take longer to eat and provide you with a feeling of fullness because they slow down the passage of food through your intestine. This “satiety effect” definitely helps with weight management.
2. Fibre helps with lowering blood cholesterol levels –Soluble Fibre in specific. Food sources include: fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, oats, barley, seed husks, flaxseed, psyllium & soy products.
So, could we all add a little extra fibre in our diet? Tips on how to do so:
- Choose wholegrain breakfast cereals and breads, as well as brown rice and wholemeal pasta.
- Snack on fruits, raw vegetables & wholegrain crackers/biscuits.
- Substitute some of the meat in stews,casseroles or mince dishes with cooked or tinned lentils, kidney beans or chick peas. Add extra vegetables diced or grated vegetables.
- When baking, use wholemeal flour instead of white.
Dolphin Solutions
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