Dietary fibre is the carbohydrates are NOT digested in the small intestine and so reaches the colon. There are strong evidences that eating plenty of fibre is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer, High fibre diet also makes us feel fuller which in turn helps cut our calorie intake.
What are the official guidelines (UK)?
- 2 to 5 years: ~ 15g/day
- 5 to 11 years: ~ 20g/day
- 11 to 16 years: ~ 25g/day
- Adults: ~ 30g/day (vs actual consumption: ~18g/day)
Which foods are fibre rich?
- Almost all vegetables contain significant amounts of fibre.
- Carrots (2.8%)
- Beets (2.8%)
- Cabbage （2.5%）
- Broccoli (2.6%)
- Artichoke (8.6%)
- Brussels Sprouts (2.6%)
- Kale (3.6%)
- Spinach (2.2%)
You may think fibrous vegetables should be fibre rich, but this is NOT true, for example Celery (1.2%), Garlic chive (1.4%), Chinese cabbage (0.8%), pak choi (1.1%）
- Most legumes (beans) are high in protein, fibre and various nutrients.
- Lentils (7.9%)
- Kidney Beans (6.4%)
- Split Peas (8.3%)
- Chickpeas (7.6%)
- Black beans (8.7%)
- Edamame (5.2%)
- Lima beans (5.3%)
- Baked beans (5.5%)
- Nearly all whole grains are high in fibre.
- Quinoa (2.8%)
- Oats (10.6%)
- Sweet potatoes (2.5%) 3.8 grams in a medium-sized boiled sweet potato (without skin)
- Sweet corn (3%)
You maybe surprised to know that popcorn actually contains very high dietary fibre (14.5%). You may ask why popcorn is considered to be junk food? The reason is we normally add a lot of fat (like butter) while cooking, which means the consumed calorie climbed significantly.
- Most nuts and seeds contain significant amounts of fibre.
which what high fibre rich nuts seeds to eat
- Almonds (12.5%)
- Chia Seeds (34.4%)
- Coconuts (9%)
- Peanuts (9%)
- Cashews (3.3%)
- Pistachios (10%)
- Walnuts (7%)
- Sunflower seeds (8.6%)
- Pumpkin seeds (18.4%)
- Fruits
- Apples (2.4%) 4.4 grams in a medium-sized apple
- Bananas (2.6%) 3.1 grams in a medium-sized banana
- Pears (3.1%) 5.5 grams in a medium-sized pear
- Strawberries (2%)
- Avocado (6.7%)
- Raspberries (6.5%)
- Blueberries (2.4%)
- Blackberries (5.3%)
Are there any danger for eating too much fibre?
Yes! Fibre makes bowel movements bigger and bulkier. It also promotes fermentation and gas formation. Eating more than 70 g/day is excessive and can cause uncomfortable side effects such as bloating, gas, stomach cramps, constipation or diarrhoea, and dehydration.