How much fibre do you eat every day? Most people are not eating enough.
Average fibre consumption is around 15g per day, but the ideal diet contains over 100g per day and anything below 32g is considered deficient.
So why is fibre important? Fibre is a prebiotic, meaning it feeds the helpful bacteria in your gut. These bacteria ensure that you are digesting your food properly and extracting the nutrients efficiently. They can also reduce inflammation and cancer risk, and positively regulate your mood.
Fibre is also important to maintain a healthy level of cholesterol. Excess cholesterol passes from the blood into the digestive tract where it can bind to soluble fibre. It is then removed in your stool. In the absence of fibre in the digestive tract, the cholesterol passes back into the blood stream, where it can contribute to weight gain and attach to the inside of the arteries, increasing cardiac risk in the long term.
The best sources of dietary fibre are whole plant foods, in particular, oats, flax seeds, chia seeds, quinoa, beans, avocado, coconut, artichoke, figs, almonds, walnuts, asparagus, okra, squash, peas, pears, berries and mangoes.
You should aim to eat over 35-40g of fibre each day.
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