Over the past 5-10 years research into the human gut microbioime has increased exponentially. While we continue to learn more about our gut bugs, one thing experts agree on is that a diet high in a variety of plant fibre is essential to having a health gut microbiome, a healthy gut, and a healthy you.
What is Fibre?
Fibre is derived from structural parts of plants – fruit, vegetable, wholegrains, legumes. Fibre cannot be broken down by digestion and therefore contribute little to energy needs.
Soluble fibre dissolves in water and forms gels and are digested (fermented) by gut bugs in our gut, adding to energy. Soluble fibre is found in oats, barley, legumes and citrus; it helps to lower blood glucose and cholesterol.
Insoluble fibre is found in whole grains and vegetables, and adds bulk to faeces.
Soures of Fibre
You need to eat 6-9 cups of vegetables and fruits every day to get the amount of fibre your need. Choose a range of different vegetables and fruits each day – pre ferablyseasonal vegetables and fruits. For example: artichoke, asparagus, bok choy, bean sprouts, broccoli, brussel sprouts, beetroot, cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, chives, celery, cucumber, endive, fresh herbs, garlic, ginger, green beans, Jerusalem artichoke, lettuce, leeks, leafy greens, mushrooms, okra, onions, parsley, radish, rocket, shallots, spinach, snowpeas, sprouts, turnip, watercress, zucchini, apples, apricots, berries, cherries, grapefruit, kiwi fruit, lemon/lime, mandarin, melon, papaya, peaches, pears, pineapple, plums, rhubarb, rockmelon, strawberries.
Foods high in resistant starch included legumes (e.g red kidney beans, butter beans, adzuki beans, lentils, black eyed beans, chickpeas); whole grain cereals e.g brown rice; cooked and chilled white rice, potatoes, sweet potato and pasta (modest rises in resistant starch); cashews, green peas, green banana flour, unripe bananas.
Regularly include foods high in resistant startch in your daily diet – your gut bugs will thank you.
Wishing You Many Good Things
Jocelyn Carter
Accredited and Registered Naturopath, Nutritionist and Herbalist
Moonhawk Healing Natural Therapies – safe and effective healthcare
PS: To maximise the people I can help I have set up the Vim Vigour Vivacity Facebook page. I’ll be adding lots of useful information on health and wellbeing in general.Click on the link and like to be part of a group of people dedicated to having good health and lots of energy.
