It is very important to eat a healthy and balanced diet that includes essential nutrients, vitamins and various sources of fibre to maintain good health and well being. A diet comprising mainly of meats, dairy products, saturated fats, breads made form refined flours, and starches such as potatoes, pasta and rice is very low in fibre

Fibre plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy body. Its best-known function is its ability to prevent and cure constipation. Lack of adequate fibre in ones diet leads to chronic constipation and other related problems. For the bowels to work properly, a daily intake of 25-30 grams, or about one ounce of dietary fibre every day is required.

Foods rich in fibre include whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables and bran. Secondly, drink plenty of water and other fluids such as fruit juices. People with constipation should drink a minimum of eight glasses of water a day.

Advantages of eating fibre

• Fibre rich food helps relieve constipation
• Fibre may help lower cholesterol
• Fibre may help prevent heart disease
• Fibre may help prevent diabetes
• Fibre may help prevent certain types of cancer

How to increase the amount of fibre in your diet?

• Fruits and vegetables provide a good source of dietary fibre. Try to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Include some fresh, frozen or canned fruits, some vegetables and some salad in your meals. Fruits and vegetables that are high in fibre include: Apples, Berries, Figs, Oranges , Pears, Prunes, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Carrots, Cauliflower, Green peas, Beans.
• Eat whole-grain breads and cereals instead of white bread. Replace white rice with brown rice. Try to include more of these food in your diet: brain muffins, brown rice, oatmeal, chapattis, whole meal pitta bread, crisp breads, whole meal scones, popcorn, multiple-grain cereals, cooked or dry 100% whole-wheat bread, and bran cereal. Check labels on the packages for the amounts of dietary fibre in each brand. Some cereals may have less fibre than you think. Eat cooked beans each week.

 

Points to remember

• Start slowly and increase the amount of fibre in your diet gradually. If you are not used to fibre-rich food, you may notice cramping, bloating, or gas when you first start eating extra fibre. Start by adding one of the sources of fibre listed above, then wait for a few days before adding another one. If one thing does not suit you, try a different one.
• Increase in fibre intake must be accompanied by an increase in fluid intake. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day when you increase fibre in your diet.
• Learning to change one's eating habits takes conscious effort and time. When buying food, read content information on the package in order to find about the fibre content of the food.
• Foods rich in fibre
• Dried beans, peas, and other legumes: This includes baked beans, kidney beans, split peas, dried limas, garbanzos, pinto beans and black beans.

Brain cereals:

• Fresh or frozen lima beans.
• Fresh or frozen green peas.
• Dried fruit: figs, apricots and dates.
• Raspberries, blackberries and strawberries.
• Sweet corn, whether on the cob or cut off in kernels.
• Whole-wheat and other whole-grain cereal products: Rye , oats, buckwheat and stone-ground cornmeal are all high in fibre. Bread, pastas, pizzas, pancakes and muffins made with whole-grain flours.
• Broccoli-very high in fibre!
• Baked potato with the skin or mashed or boiled potatoes. But not French fires which are rich in fat.
• Green beans and broad beans.
• Plums, pears, and apples: the skin is edible, and are all high in pectin.
• Raisins and prunes.
• Greens: Including spinach, beet greens, kale, collards, swiss chard and turnip.
• Nuts: Especially almonds, Brazil nuts, peanuts, and walnuts (Consume these sparingly, because of their high fat content.).
• Cherries.
• Bananas.
• Carrots.
• Coconut (dried or fresh-but both are high in fat content).
• Brussels sprouts.

An optimal diet would typically include:

Breakfast     Lunch     Dinner
Brain cereal     A large salad     Two servings of vegetables
     Fruit     (1 cup is equal to one serving)
          4 - 5 oz fish or chicken