These Are The Best High Fibre Foods To Fuel Your Gut
Decades of research have shown that eating a diet full of high-fibre foods offers a range of health benefits – including good heart health, metabolic health, and gut health.
Yet, more than 90 per cent of adults in the UK don’t eat enough fibre, according to the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS). With just four per cent of women and 13 per cent of men aged 19-64 consuming the daily adult recommended amount of 30g.
But what is fibre, why it’s so beneficial and how we can add more high-fibre foods to our diets?
What is fibre?
Fibre is a type of complex carbohydrate – the plant roughage from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds – that your body can’t digest or absorb. Instead, these non-digestible parts make their way through the gut and your gut microbiome helps with the digestive process.
‘Fibre is a blanket term referring to non-digestible materials primarily found in fruits and vegetables,’ explains James Vickers, registered Nutritionist at Vitality.
‘Essentially, it’s parts of the plant that enzymes in your digestive system can’t break down, meaning it passes through your system pretty unchanged,’ he continues.
‘When we talk about fibre most of us think of insoluble fibre, which is found in high-fibre breakfast cereals and whole grains. There are actually several types of fibre, each offering different benefits, such as soluble fibre and resistant starches. Soluble fibre, found in beans, citrus fruits and oats, dissolves in water and works to form a gel in your gut, helping with constipation and lowering cholesterol. Resistant starch, found in starchy food like rice that has been cooked and cooled, can’t be digested in the small intestine but does ferment in the large intestine, supporting gut health.’
How much fibre do I need?
As mentioned, current UK guidelines recommend we should aim for 30g of fibre a day but according to data the average Brit is currently consuming about 20g a day on average.
Why are high-fibre foods important?
With studies showing that high intakes of fibre lower cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, and help to regulate blood glucose levels, reducing the risk of insulin resistance and slowing the onset of type 2 diabetes, eating lots of high-fibre foods (30g or more a day) has been linked to many beneficial health outcomes.
In fact, research published in The Lancet showed that those who eat between 25-29g of fibre a day have the least risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, among other positive mental and physical health outcomes, and that even higher intakes of dietary fibre could lead to greater benefits.
‘Equally, a lack of fibre in the diet has been found to lead to obesity, gut issues and digestive problems,’ adds Vickers. ‘As fibre can help maintain your blood sugar levels throughout the day, a high-fibre diet has been found to improve insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes. Fibre is also fantastic for your heart. Studies show diets high in fibre are associated with a lower risk of heart and circulatory disease. This is because it can help lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, keeping your heart healthy in the long term.’
Does fibre contain calories?
According to the British Nutrition Foundation, fibre is a source of energy and provides an average of 2kcal per gram.
It’s worth noting that some manufacturers may claim that their foods are a ‘source of fibre’ if it contains at least 3g of fibre per 100g or at least 1.5g of fibre per 100kcal, or ‘high in fibre’ if it contains at least 6g of fibre per 100g or at least 3g of fibre per 100kcal. Where these claims are used, the fibre content must be provided in the nutrition information on the back of the packet.
Does fibre help with fat loss?
A 2020 review that looked at the impact of whole grain consumption on body weight and fat concluded that there was no evidence from randomised trials to show that dietary fibre intake influences body weight changes.
The researchers said that there was limited evidence from trials that a higher intake of whole grains may decrease total dietary energy intake, but that more evidence is needed to confirm this.
Studies looking at the effect of fibres and fibre-rich foods on appetite, energy intake and body weight have produced mixed results. However, a 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found that consuming viscous fibres such as beta-glucan, psyllium or guar gum can result in modest reductions in body weight, BMI and waist circumference.
The findings suggested that viscous fibres could affect energy intake as they increase the thickness of the gut contents, promote gastric distention and slow gastric emptying, as well as possibly affect satiety hormones.
8 high-fibre foods to eat
For foods to be labelled as ‘high in fibre’, they must have more than 5g per serving.
To save you the hassle of trying to read the nutritional information in the middle of the supermarket aisle, we’ve listed some brilliant high-fibre foods below...
Wholegrain breakfast cereals
‘Rich in soluble fibre, wholegrain breakfast cereals have been found to significantly reduce the amount of bad cholesterol (LDL) which can help protect against the development of heart disease,’ says Vickers.
40g serving of bran flakes = 8g of fibre
Beans and pulses
‘Incorporating beans and pulses into your diet is a great way to boost your fibre intake. One portion of pulses provides about a third of your daily fibre needs. Equally, things like kidney beans help slow the absorption of sugar into the blood and help reduce risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure,’ he says.
150g serving of baked beans = 7g of fibre
Nuts and seeds
‘Small, but mighty, nuts and seeds are packed full of fibre, and as little as 20g a day can significantly boost your intake. I’d recommend adding flax seeds or hazelnuts to your breakfast for a good start to the day. Flax seeds give you both soluble and insoluble fibre to support your gut health and bowel regularity and hazelnuts to lower cholesterol,’ recommends Vickers.
15g serving of chia seeds = 5g of fibre
30g serving of flaxseeds = 7g of fibre
Top tip: Try making your own trail mix and sprinkle it on breakfast cereal, porridge, salads or eggs, for a boost of fibre and texture to your meals.
Fruits
‘Fibre from fruit can help ease constipation, improve gut health, and reduce cholesterol levels,’ he says. ‘Packed full of fibre, they contain additional vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to help support your overall health. This is particularly true for passion fruit, avocado and raspberries. It’s important to note though that often fibre found in fruit is in the skin and pulp, so it's best to leave the skin on, and avoid juicing.’
1 medium to large apple = 5g of fibre
1 medium pear = 5.5g of fibre
Wholewheat pasta
‘Wholemeal pasta is an easy way to bring more fibre into your diet. On average, wholemeal pasta has about 50% more fibre than white pasta, which means just one serving will provide you with a third of your daily recommendation,’ says Vickers.
75g serving of wholewheat pasta = 8g of fibre
Wholegrain bread
Wholegrain foods have a lower GI index, meaning they are typically very good at managing your blood glucose levels, explains Vickers. ‘Some studies have found people with diets rich in wholegrain foods, have a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, certain types of cancer and Type 2 diabetes.’
2 slices of wholegrain bread = 6g of fibre
Rye crackers
‘Rye crackers are full of insoluble fibre, making them a good way to improve your digestive health. These crackers give bulk to your stool and help to accelerate transit time through the gut all of which helps to keep you more regular and prevent constipation,’ he says.
2 slices of Rye crackers = 4g fibre
Top tip: Pair these with a dollop of avocado, hummus, or nut butter and you've got yourself an easy fibre-packed, healthy snack.
Veggies
Most vegetables are a great source of fibre. But broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, leafy greens and peas are all particularly high in fibre. Remember: frozen and tinned mixed veg are just as nutritious as fresh veggies.
100g serving of green peas = 5g of fibre.
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