All about fibres

Fibres are also known as dietary fibres. They are carbohydrates that only occur in plant-based products. Examples of fibre-rich products are whole grain products, legumes, potatoes, vegetables, fruit and nuts and seeds. Fibre is not digested well in the small intestine. As a result, it mostly ends up in the large intestine unchanged. That may not sound very favourable, but it is actually a good thing. Because fibre offers many health benefits in the large intestine.

Fibre provides:

Fibers are essential for a healthy gut. In the colon, they are food for your microbiome, the bacteria that live in your gut. If you eat a lot of fiber, your microbiome can consist of many different healthy bacteria. Those bacteria help improve your digestion of food. Like strengthening the gut wall and supporting your immune system.

Fibre reduces the risk of developing a number of conditions. For example, people who eat a lot of fibre have a lower risk of bowel cancer. Fibre-rich food also helps protect against cardiovascular disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

Fibers have a positive impact on your immune system. About 70% of your immune system is in your colon. This system protects you from a virus or other pathogen. What is the role of fiber in this? Fiber nourishes the microbiome and keeps it varied and strong. Among other things, the microbiome helps in the growth and division of immune cells. Thus, your microbiome helps to have a large and strong army ready to fight off pathogens. By eating fiber, you take good care of your immune system and are less likely to get sick.

Fast sugars cause high peaks in your blood sugar. If you eat a high-fibre diet, your blood sugar levels will be much more even. This is because fibre slows down the absorption of sugars, causing sugars to enter the bloodstream more slowly. As a result, your blood sugar levels will fluctuate less and you will be less likely to feel hungry again after eating a high-fibre meal.

Fibre can reduce symptoms of IBS or problems with bowel movements. If you start eating more fibre, existing symptoms may even disappear completely. Fibre helps with both constipation and diarrhoea. It absorbs fluid and thereby creates smooth stool.

Fibre makes you chew properly, which makes you feel full sooner. Fibre also slows down the absorption of sugars, keeping your blood sugar levels more stable. Both of these factors ensure that you feel full for longer after eating a high-fibre meal. In addition, the microbiome can influence certain hormones involved in appetite, such as ghrelin (the hunger hormone) or peptide YY (satiety hormone). This means that fibre can even have a positive effect on your weight.

You might not expect it, but fibre also appears to have an effect on your mental health. This effect is not yet fully understood and requires further research. However, it is known that your brain and intestines are connected via the longest nerve pathway in the body, the vagus nerve. The brain and intestines constantly send each other signals about your well-being. What’s more, the intestines produce hormones that influence your mood. If you eat a high-fibre diet, this has a beneficial effect on the microbiome and more of the happiness hormone serotonin is produced.

Different types of fibre

Fibre has many beneficial properties. It can be roughly categorised into two types:

Fermentable fibre
Non-fermentable fibre

Fermentable fibre

Fermentable fibres are converted in the large intestine or broken down by the bacteria in your large intestine. These fibres are food for the bacteria that live in the large intestine. Beans, bananas, apples, leeks, garlic, onions, oats and barley contain fermentable fibres.

Did you know that fermentable fibres need liquid to swell?

Drinking plenty of fluids is therefore very important in combination with a high-fibre diet. Otherwise the fibres will have the opposite effect! The advice is to drink at least one and a half litres of fluid per day. Preferably even two litres a day. And luckily we make it a little easier for you.

Non-fermentable fibres

Then there are the non-fermentable fibres. The intestine does not break down this type of dietary fibre. But they are very useful! These fibres promote intestinal motility and increase the volume of intestinal contents. They therefore ensure a smooth bowel movement. These fibres are found in fruit and vegetables with edible skin, such as apples. They are also found in whole grain cereals such as wholemeal bread, pasta, oats and barley. These fibres retain moisture in the colon, increasing the volume of the stool.

You need both types of fibre because they each have a different function. By varying your intake of high-fibre products, you can get both types.

How much fibre do you need?

It is best to eat 30 to 40 grams of fibre every day.