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How to eat enough fibre
Most people agree that dietary fibre is important for health but not everyone knows how to eat enough fibre. Dietary fibre is present in different amounts in plant-based foods, including grains and cereals, legumes, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds. Individual foods have typically more than one type of fibre. Certain types of fibre have been identified as being beneficial for particular health conditions. Therefore, it makes sense to aim at consuming a wide variety of fibre-containing foods to consume a wide variety of dietary fibre types, which will in turn protect against a wide variety of health issues. Fibre requirements The Australian guidelines specify a target daily intake of 25g…
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An introduction to resistant starch
Resistant starch is one of the most recently "discovered" types of dietary fibre. It continues gaining scientific attention due to the fact that certain species of gut bacteria feed on resistant starch to produce short-chain fatty acids, which are beneficial to health.
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Product review: Obela Plant Based Hommus Bowls
Obela Plant Based Hommus Bowls are a portable, convenient meal to have on the go. They are vegan, gluten-free, high in fibre and protein. Obela Plant Based Hommus Bowls These bowls are new in the line of hommus and dips of the famous manufacturer Obela, makers of the convenient snack Obela Hommus To Go. In my opinion, this is a great way to get switch people’s perception about hommus from just a dip to what it is in the Middle East: a meal. Obela Plant Based Hommus Bowls come in the following flavours: Quinoa Tabouli Salad With Falafels & Lemon Garlic Dressing Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables With Falafels & Basil Pesto…
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How to fix constipation
Constipation is a gastrointestinal disorder affecting a considerable percentage of the population. Based on severity, it can have a significant negative impact in health and quality of life. In this article we explore how to fix constipation. What is constipation? Constipation is a gastrointestinal condition characterised by infrequent bowel movements (1, 2), hard or lumpy stools (1), difficulty passing stools (1, 2) and the sensation of incomplete evacuation (1). The prevalence of constipation has been reported to be 12-17% of the global population (1). The prevalence is higher in elderly people (1, 2), women (1, 2), particularly when pregnant (2). Factors associated with constipation * Medications that can cause constipation…
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Fibre in food
As seen previously, dietary fibre is generally good for health and can even be useful to athletes wanting to improve body composition. Fibre in food is present in different quantities so it’s good to know which foods have higher contents. Fibre in food As seen previously, fibre is present in many plant foods, including vegetables, legumes (e.g. lentils, beans, chickpeas), fruits, cereals, nuts and seeds. The exact amount of total fibre and the types of fibre contained in each food depend on the actual food. Most food databases and nutrition information panels contain the total amount of fibre rather than the amount per type (e.g. soluble, insoluble, resistant starch). In…
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Fibre in sports nutrition
In a previous post, I highlighted the relationship between fibre and health. In general, dietary fibre is good for you. However, the role of fibre in sports nutrition is a little more complex. Fibre in sports nutrition When talking about dietary fibre intake in the context of sports nutrition, we need to think beyond health. It is also important to consider weight and body composition, performance during training and competition, and recovery. As a reminder, the recommended daily intake of dietary fibre is 25 grams per day for most adult women and 30 grams per day for most adult men. Regulation of energy intake Dietary fibre intake increases satiety. Therefore,…
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Fibre and health
The relationship between fibre and health has been appreciated for centuries, specifically as it relates to digestive health. More recently, scientists have set to investigate the role of fibre in other aspects of health. What is fibre There are multiple definitions of fibre and it’s difficult to write a concise one. Most fibre is carbohydrate, with the exception of lignin (1). Fibre includes non-starch polysaccharides (cellulose, hemicelluloses, pectins, hydrocolloids), resistant oligosaccharides, resistant starch and lignin (2). By other definitions, fibre is a polysaccharide with ten or more monomeric units which is not hydrolysed by endogenous hormones in the small intestine (3). In other words, multiple sugars held together that cannot…
