Fibre: why do we need it and where do we get it?

With so much nutrition information out there fibre is often overlooked as a dietary priority. Here are some reasons why you shouldn't overlook it any longer!

Weight loss & weight control
Dietary Fibre can assist weight loss and weight control by: (1) lowering fat absorption from the gut which reduces total energy absorbed, (2) creating a feeling of fullness sooner and for longer which controls appetite and reduces total energy consumed and (3) slowing the absorption of carbohydrate and sugar from the gut which stabilises blood glucose and insulin levels and reduces fat storage.

Decreased risk of developing diabetes & cardiovascular disease
Dietary fibre can help improve a number of risk factors for developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It reduces these risks by: (1) reducing cholesterol absorption from the gut which lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol, (2) stabilising blood glucose and insulin levels and increasing insulin sensitivity and (3) lowering body weight / body fat by the mechanisms discussed above.

Bowel health
Dietary fibre helps to soften and bulk stools and promote regular bowel movements. This reduces constipation and may be protective against colorectal cancer.

So which foods contain fibre and how much do I need? How about some practical easy to follow guidelines for achieving adequate fibre intake? I hear you...

To help you recognise which foods are high in fibre I have put together a fibre hierarchy of foods outlining their respective fibre percentages. Check it out to get a feel for where fibre comes from in your diet.


45% unprocessed bran

30% all bran

15% wheat germ, bran flakes, passion fruit, fig

10% weet-bix, other wheat biscuit

8% nuts, prunes, raw oats

6% wholemeal pasta, wholemeal bread, peas, spinach, legumes (boiled), soy beans (boiled)

4% other vegetables not mentioned

2% other fruit not mentioned, white pasta, white bread

1% boiled oats (porridge), jam, corn flakes, rice bubbles

Some facts about fibre content in food that can be seen from the percentages above: (1) Fibre is found in plant foods not animal foods, (2) fibre is found in a variety of different foods including fruit, vegetables, nuts, beans and grains and (3) the % of fibre is directly related to the level of processing, greater the processing, lower the fibre.

Achieving the recommended 20-30g of fibre per day can be quite challenging. Here are some tips to help:

• Consume a variety of fibre containing foods everyday including fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and whole grains, don't get all your fibre from one type of food.
• Replace processed grains with minimally processed / unprocessed grains, for example, swap white bread for wholemeal bread, white rice for brown rice etc. 
• Consume 2 serves of fruit everyday and leave the skin on when possible and replace fruit juice serves with whole fruit serves. 
• Consume 4-5 serves of vegetables everyday and leave the skin on when possible. 
• Include nuts as a snack at morning tea or afternoon tea.
• Include beans at lunch or dinner. 
• Achieve fibre intake in the form of whole foods if possible, only use fibre supplements if required.