Why Fibre is so important for you…
Fibre is found in minimally processed foods (e.g, fruits, vegetables), beans and legumes, starchy tubers, nuts and seeds, and whole grains. When appropriate, you might also consider a fibre supplement.
How much is enough?
Women under 50: 25-28 grams of fibre per day
Women 51 and over: 22 grams of fibre per day
The lower fibre in women over 51 is because older women need less energy, they'll eat less food and take in less fibre.
How much Fibre do i need exactly?
Your daily fibre intake is calculated at 14 grams per 1000 calories per day.
Why is fibre important?
Fibre feeds our gut microbiome. Emerging evidence suggests that our gut microbiome or microflora- the complex ecosystem of millions of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, that live throughout our digestive tract- play even more roles than we imagined.
As microflora munch on the fibre that we eat, they produce a wide range of metabolites, or chemical byproducts, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).
Gut microbiome plays a critical role in health
These metabolites, in turn, may help regulate:
Our moods and brain function through the microbiome-gut-brain axis.
Hormone production
Inflammation
Gastric motility
Skeletal muscle metabolism and bone health
Eating more fibre is linked to lower rates of chronic disease.
Conversely, eating less fibre is a risk factor for many later-life health problems
Fiber binds to and helps excrete cholesterol
This helps improve our lipid profile: our ratio of beneficial cholesterol-transporting lipoproteins (such as high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or HDL-C) to potentially harmful ones (such as low-density lipoprotein, or LDL-C). If not properly managed, this ratio can increase inflammation and risk of cardiovascular disease. Soluble fibre that creates a ‘gel’ in liquid is particularly helpful. This is found in fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, some grains (e.g, oats), and seeds (e.g, chia, flax, psyllium).
Pooing is good!
Fiber- especially when combined with plenty of water-hel[s alleviate constipation, a common problem for older people, as gastric motility slows with age.
Soluble fiber helps create stool bulk, while insoluble fiber helps push things through the pipes.
BIG TAKE HOME…
If you’re concerned with the size of your midsection, you may find that improving your bowel regularity reduces bloating and helps you fit into your pants a bit more comfortably!