We hear a lot about dietary fibre and how it plays a vital role in keeping us running smoothly. But fibre is not only essential for good “inner” health, it may also protect against some diseases.

What is dietary fibre and why is it so important?
Dietary fibre is found only in plant foods and consists of the indigestible, fibrous part of fruit, vegetables, cereals, and beans. There are two types of dietary fibre: soluble fibre that dissolves in water and insoluble fibre.

Dietary fibre has a laxative effect in that it absorbs water, helping food pass through the digestive system faster. A higher fibre intake usually means larger and softer stools which can help reduce constipation and protect against colon cancer.

It is thought that a diet high in fibre can also help lower blood cholesterol and regulate blood glucose. A further benefit of a high fibre diet is that it adds bulk to the diet - making you less likely to fill up by snacking on fatty or sugary foods.

Where do we get it?
Some of the richest sources of dietary fibre include bran, peas, beans, fruit, nuts, seeds, and wholemeal grains. Foods such as meat, fish, chicken, and eggs, contain no fibre, so there’s a hint– if your diet is rich in these foods, make sure you pay close attention to your fruit and vegetable intake!

How much do we need?
Prof. Mark Wahlqvist, one of Australia’s leading medical nutritionists and author of more than 18 books and over 500 peer-reviewed papers on food, nutrition and health, says on his Healthy Eating Club website that most Australians don't consume enough fibre.

It is estimated that most Australians consume 18 to 25 grams of fibre daily – even though the National Heart Foundation recommends adults consume about 30 grams every day. For children, the general recommendations are that they consume a gram of fibre for every year of age plus an extra 5 grams; so a 10 year old child should be eating around 15 grams of fibre per day.

Can you have too much?
It is possible that we can eat too much fibre. More than 50 grams per day is thought to interfere with the uptake of some important nutrients (e.g. zinc and other minerals) as well as cause intestinal discomfort, diarrhoea, stomach bloating, and flatulence.

Because of this, experts recommend that extra fibre be added gradually to your diet to allow time for the body to adjust. They also recommend that as you add fibre to the diet you also increase your fluid intake. Since fibre absorbs water, too much fibre can lead to dehydration so make sure you drink plenty of water.

Tips for increasing fibre intake
Health experts agree that we all should pay close attention to our daily fibre intake. Given the known health benefits and the potential for protection from many diseases, we need to think of ways of increasing our daily intake.

• Start the day with a bowl of porridge – oats are high in fibre; or sprinkle some mixed seeds on your regular cereals or yoghurt
• Try wholemeal varieties of breads and pasta (e.g. wholemeal spaghetti)
• Choose bran cereals (e.g. “All-Bran” or similar) which pack a fair fibre punch at 15-30 grams per cup compared with Corn Flakes which only have 1 gram per cup
• Baked beans are among your best choices for dietary fibre. One cup provides up to 10 grams of fibre. Lentils and lima beans can provide up to 13 grams per cup.
• Almonds are best among the nuts with a handful of 20 or so providing over 3 grams of fibre
• The humble potato with skin stands tall among vegetables, providing over 8 grams of fibre for a reasonably large spud.
• Dried figs and prunes are the best fruit choices, with a few dried figs providing up to 15 grams of fibre! Pears are among the best choices for fresh fruit at over 4 grams of fibre for one medium sized.

Although fibre supplements are available (usually as bran tablets or purified cellulose) and can be effective, the tastier option is to get your daily fibre from a range of foods, especially a wide selection of fruit and vegetables.