Should I eat a high-fibre diet or avoid fibre? That negative-sounding word often leaves us confused. Completely unfairly, by the way! A high-fibre diet brings lots of positive effects for our body and our health!
In Germany in particular, though, we tend to live a rather low-fibre lifestyle! That needs to change fast, and we'll tell you why! You'll also find out how fibre intake works during a juice cleanse.
What is fibre?
We often associate the German word for fibre ("Ballaststoffe", literally "ballast") with harmful foods that aren't good for us and are best avoided. But scientists rarely got a name so wrong.
That's because at first it was assumed that fibre offers the body no added value and can only be used poorly.
Today we know that fibre has every right to be there and that the term "ballast" does it no justice.
Fibre is the fibrous part of plant-based foods. It's found in the outer layers of grains, pulses, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. It's barely present in animal foods, which is why a balanced diet is especially important.
Fibre consists of long-chain carbohydrates that your body can't use, and yet they have positive effects on your health. Among other things, they keep you full for longer, support digestion, help prevent constipation and have a positive effect on your gut flora.
What types of fibre are there?
When it comes to fibre, we distinguish between soluble and insoluble fibre. Both are found in food and have positive effects on your health.
Soluble fibre
Soluble fibre such as inulin, pectin and oligofructose is found mainly in fruit and vegetables. Beta-glucans, another soluble fibre, are found above all in barley and oats. They have a positive effect on cholesterol levels, as they bind excess bile acid in the gut so it can be excreted there.
Soluble fibre in your food also keeps you full for longer. The fibrous components in your meal swell up in the stomach when combined with liquid. That's a particularly positive effect for those of us who'd like to lose a little weight. Fibre also has a positive effect on blood sugar levels: because you feel full, your body's craving for quickly available energy sets in later, which is especially relevant for people with type 2 diabetes.
Because fibre swells up in the stomach, it's all the more important to drink enough with a high-fibre meal. Otherwise the fibre draws too much liquid from your digested food and you risk unpleasant constipation.
Insoluble fibre
Insoluble fibre such as cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin is found mainly in grains and pulses, and partly in fruit and vegetables too.
Unlike soluble fibre, insoluble fibre absorbs much less liquid and is therefore hardly broken down by bacteria. Even so, it's credited with positive properties. On the one hand, it increases stool volume, which speeds up the transport and elimination of food residues. On the other hand, it works like a sponge to clean the gut and may therefore help with problems such as constipation and haemorrhoids.
High-fibre foods at a glance
Just like with vitamins and minerals, there are foods that are high in fibre and foods that are low in fibre. The following overview uses a few comparisons to show you how much fibre content can vary. By the way, under EU law foods with 6g or more per 100g count as "high-fibre sources".
It's worth stressing that many people who fast feel completely fine, and some even notice a boost in physical and mental wellbeing while fasting thanks to the increased release of the happiness hormone serotonin. Did you know there's a thing called the "fasting high"? It describes the strong sense of wellbeing that kicks in after about 5 days of fasting.
If you'd like to read more about fasting symptoms, check out our blog article!
How much fibre should you eat per day?
For an adult, a fibre intake of 30 to 40 grams per day is recommended. At this amount your digestion is stimulated optimally and the bacteria in your gut are well fed, without overloading your digestive tract.
In Germany, the average fibre intake is around 22g. That's clearly too little!
Switching to a high-fibre diet is actually fairly easy. Here are a few tips:
- Increase your fibre intake slowly so you don't overload your digestive tract at the start. If you're not used to large amounts of fibre, a sudden change can lead to digestive discomfort.
- Swap products made from white flour for their wholegrain equivalent (wholemeal bread, wholemeal toast, wholegrain rice etc.)
- Stick to the "five a day" rule and eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day
- A handful of nuts gives you not only good fats and protein, but is also rich in fibre
- Pulses, pseudo-grains and vegetables are also high-fibre foods that work really well in your salad bowl
Fibre during a juice cleanse
Even though we've just shown you how important fibre is for your health, you'll only take in very little fibre during your juice cleanse. The aim is to give your digestion a break over the fasting days and take the load off your gut. This can help reduce low-grade inflammation in your body and allow metabolic waste products to be "recycled".
So you see: when it comes to fibre, it's all about balance, with certain amounts in each of your everyday meals and a longer break through fasting every now and then.
Conclusion: Why is a high-fibre diet important?
Now you know that you shouldn't be afraid of the negatively loaded word. Instead, get used to the idea that fibre has nothing to do with ballast, but is an important part of our food.
When planning your meals in future, keep an eye out for possible sources of fibre and check whether you could replace low-fibre products like wheat with high-fibre equivalents, such as wholegrain.
