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Berna Harmse, a dietitian, explains why fibre is essential to include in your diet.
Fibre or dietary fibre is that part of plant food that can’t be fully digested by the small intestine and reaches the colon almost completely intact. Fibre is essential for the body to help regulate bowel movement, maintain a desirable level of friendly bacteria in the colon, and provide a source of fuel for the cells in the colon. There are two types of fibre.
Soluble fibre
This type of fibre is found in fruit, vegetables, oats and oat bran. It holds water and increases the bulk of the stool. It also creates a feeling of fullness after a meal by delaying stomach emptying. This is useful for weight management and diabetic glucose control. Soluble fibre is also beneficial for cholesterol management and can help control diarrhoea.
Insoluble fibre
Mainly found in wholegrain products, such as high-fibre breakfast cereals, skins and pips of fruit and vegetables, and mealie kernels. This type of fibre decreases transit time through the bowel by ‘pulling’ the food through the gut quicker and can help relieve constipation.
A daily fibre intake of 25-35g is recommended, but try not to exceed 50g as insoluble fibre can bind with certain minerals, such as calcium and iron, and prevent absorption.
General guidelines:
1. Increase your daily fibre intake gradually to avoid possible side effects, such as bloating and flatulence. The body will adapt to an increased intake and the side effects will gradually disappear.
2. Include generous servings of vegetables, and aim for at least three servings of fresh fruit daily.
3. Adequate fluid is essential. Drink at least eight to10 glasses of fluid, preferably water every day. Inadequate fluid with a high-fibre intake may cause or worsen constipation.
4. Select fibre from a wide variety of food sources and only use a fibre supplement if recommended or prescribed by your doctor or dietitian.
5. Regular exercise is also beneficial to help regulate bowel movements.
Count your fibre
FOOD |
SERVING SIZE |
METRIC MEASURE |
FIBRE CONTENT (g) |
Breads |
|||
| White | 1 slice | 30g | 1 |
| Brown | 1 slice | 30g | 2 |
| Wholewheat | 1 slice | 35g | 2 |
| Seed | 1 slice | 35g | 3 |
| Rye | 1 slice | 30g | 2.9 |
| Crackers | |||
| Provita | 1 | 6g | 1 |
| Ryvita | 1 | 9g | 1 |
| Cream Cracker | 1 | 8g | 0.5 |
Grains |
|||
| Digestive bran | 1tsp | 5ml | 4.2 |
| Flour, white | ½ cup | 125ml | 1.6 |
| Flour, wholewheat | ½ cup | 125ml | 8.8 |
| Lentils, cooked | 1tbsp | 15ml | 1.4 |
| Popcorn | ½ cup | 125ml | 1 |
| Rice, white, cooked | ½ cup | 125ml | 0.2 |
| Brown and wild rice | ½ cup | 125ml | 8 |
| Rice, brown, cooked | ½ cup | 125ml | 1 |
| Wholewheat spagetti, cooked | ½ cup | 125ml | 4 |
Cereals |
|||
| All Bran | ½ cup | 125ml | 4.7 |
| Cornflakes | ½ cup | 125ml | 0.6 |
| Hi Bulk Fibre Bran | ½ cup | 125ml | 12 |
| Oats, cooked | ½ cup | 125ml | 2 |
| Oats, uncooked | ½ cup | 125ml | 9 |
| Puffed rice | ½ cup | 125ml | 0.3 |
| Raison bran | ½ cup | 125ml | 6.6 |
| Wholewheat Pronutro | ½ cup | 125ml | 13 |
Fruit |
||||
| Apple,with skin/ | 1 medium | 150g | 3.3 | |
| Banana | 1 medium | 75g | 1.2 | |
| Grapes | 1 medium bunch | 230g | 1.6 | |
| Orange/grapefruit | 1 medium | 180g | 4.3 | |
| Pear | 1 medium | 165g | 4.3 | |
| peach/3 apricots/ pineapple | 1med/ 3 / ½ cup | 2 | ||
| Strawberries | ½ cup | 80g | 2 | |
| Dried fruit | ½ cup | 110g | 12.7 | |
| Fig | 1 large | 55g | 9 | |
| Raisons/prunes | handful | 50g | 5 | |
Vegetables |
||||
| Broccoli, cauliflower cooked | ½ cup | 80g | 2 | |
| Carrots | ½ cup | 80g | 2.5 | |
| Cucumber | 1 medium slice | 1 | 0.1 | |
| Grean peas, cooked | ½ cup | 85g | 3 | |
| Lettuce | ½ cup | 40g | 0.4 | |
| Potato, cooked with skin | 1 large | 180g | 5 | |
| Sweetcorn, cooked | ½ cup | 95g | 4.7 | |
| Cabbage, eggplant | ½ cup | 80g | 3 | |
| Green beans | ½ cup | 75 | 2 | |
| Avocado Pear | ½ medium | 75g | 1.6 | |
| Butternut or pumpkin | ½ cup | 85g | 3 | |
| Tomato, raw | ½ cup | 100g | 1 | |
Beans |
||||
| Haricot,butter,beans etc., cooked | ½ cup | 85g | 9 | |
| Lentils, cooked | ½ cup | 90g | 6 | |
| Baked beans | ½ cup | 80g | 5 | |
| Samp and beans | ½ cup | 115g | 4.4 | |
| Nuts | ½ cup | 70g | 4 | |
| Peanut butter | 1tsp | 5g | 1.6 | |
MEET THE EXPERT – Berna Harmse
Berna Harmse is a private practicing dietitian. She holds a MSc in Dietetics, and has a special interest in oncology nutrition. Sheis also an external lecturer at Stellenbosch University Division of Human Nutrition.
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