What is Fibre?
Dietary fibre is found in plant foods – ceras (such as corn,
oats, wheat and rice), fruit, vegetables, nuts and legumes. Fibre-rich foods
require more chewing, which ensures you eat more slowly. They also help you
feel satisfied on fewer kilojoules, they reduce hunger and help keep your
weight under control. Fibre-rich foods can help regulate blood glucose levels.
There are two major categories of fibre; Soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fibre is found mostly in oats, psyllium, barley,
vegetables, lentils, beans and fruit. Soluble fibre slows the rate of digestion
and absorption of food, and is thought to reduce LDL(bad) cholesterol,
decreasing your risk of heart disease.
Insoluble fibre is found mostly in wheat bran, wheat based
cereals and pasta, and wholemeal bread. Insoluble fibre keeps your bowels
regular, providing bulk to the stool and speeding transit of material through
the bowel. It reduces the risk of bowel cancer and other bowel diseases.
