Why We Need Fibre

Hey Fitstudios Fam! Coach Jasmin here to tell you about one of my favourite ‘F’ words…

Fibre!

Now you may have heard people talking about fibre and that you should be including it into your diet, but do you really even know what it is or why it’s a great tool to improve your weight loss journey?

First of all, fibre is categorized as a complex carbohydrate that our bodies can’t digest. Yes, you read that right! Since our bodies don’t carry the necessary enzymes to break it down, it makes fibre indigestible. So long story short, since fibre cannot be broken down or absorbed it passes right through your body and gets excreted. This is what I like to call a caloric freebie since fibre contains 0 cals/g.

Now before you start shoving down as much fibre as you can find let's dive a bit deeper. Fibre can be broken down into two main categories, insoluble and soluble fibre. Insoluble fibre is found in the cell walls of plants and gives plant wall structure. Since this isn’t water soluble it helps to add bulk to your diet and can help push food through the digestive tract. On the other hand, soluble fibre is water soluble and forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract, acting as a lubricant to help move things along smoothly.

Working hand in hand insoluble and soluble fibre can ultimately make you feel fuller longer.

It’s recommended that we consume 25 to 50 g/day of fibre. You may be thinking how the heck will I get enough? Well, adding an adequate amount of fibre into your diet is much easier than you think! Whole foods such as beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds are all great sources of both Insoluble and soluble fibre, easily allowing you to get the best of both worlds.

Overall increasing your fibre intake can help you feel fuller longer, can add bulk to your food without adding extra calories, and best of all help keep you regular! So with all that being said what are you waiting for?! It’s time to start adding fibre into your diet to help with your weight loss journey.

Until next time,

Coach Jasmin

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