SO WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL WITH FIBRE?

Fibre can be found pretty much in EVERY vegetable, however in general, the darker the colour of the veggie - the higher the fibre content.  So think dark leafy greens and cruciferous veggies as well as those bright colourful starchy vegetables – pumpkin, beets and sweet potato. 

When we eat fibre, it:

• helps to feed the beneficial bacteria in our digestive tracts – improving our digestion;

• helps stabilise our blood glucose levels;

• binds with toxins, waste products, excess hormones, cholesterol, and other substances in the gut to help with elimination;

• adds bulk to our stool, improving the quality of our bowel movements; and

• helps reduce overall inflammation in our body

There are two main forms of fibre, and it’s good to make sure we eat a mix of both at each of our meals (and it’s so simple to do!):

Insoluble Fibre | Found in just about all vegetables (particularly in the skin), which works like a broom through the bowel – helping prevent constipation, encourage regular bowel habits and keeping our bowel environment nice and healthy.  Foods to include are pretty much every vegetable, especially green leafy veggies and non-starchy/cruciferous veggies as well as tomatoes, avocado, carrots, peas and green beans (remember – keep the skin on!). 

Soluble Fibre | Forms a gel-like substance when it’s combined with fluid in our body (hence why we should drink plenty of water!), and acts like a sponge, absorbing toxins and waste products (as well as excess hormones) on its way out of our body.   Foods to include are starchy veggies, cruciferous veggies and those low sugar fruits.  Also include citrus fruits, spinach, asparagus, peas and zucchini.

So as you can see, it’s super simple to eat a mix of Insoluble and Soluble fibre at each of your meals - as long as you’re eating a wide variety of fruits and veggies.

There’s no fibre found in the other 2 macronutrients - fat and protein - so EAT YOUR VEGGIES!