Five Tips To Increase Fibre (safely)

We all know fibre is good for us. It has been found to help bulk your stools to relieve constipation, feeds good gut bacteria, helps with weight-loss, lowers excess cholesterol, and may help balance blood sugar and insulin-resistant diseases. However, eating too much fibre too quickly can also lead to more bloating, constipation, and create painful blockages throughout your digestive track.

If suffering from IBS or other digestive condition, low-fibre diets are generally one of the causes of this.   So I do not recommend the FODMAP diet for long periods of time, or low-fibre diets.  As long as you follow the advice below,  and add fibre very gradually, you should be able to tolerate it more and more.

Here are some easy to implement ways to increase your fibre intake without causing havoc.

Dos:

• Hydrate first! Fibre absorbs fluids from your intestines and colon in order to bulk your stools. So if you are dehydrated, this will cause discomfort, pain, bloating and constipation. Sip about 2l of room-temperature water (not as teas or coffees) slowly through the day for at least a week before you increase fibre.  Find out how much water your body actually needs here
• 50-60% of each meal should consist of a variety of:  vegetables, fruit (with skin, organic), wholegrain, pulses, seeds and raw unsalted nuts (no peanuts).
• Soak nuts, seeds, pulses and wholegrains overnight if you already suffer from chronic gut conditions. Make sure to rinse them before eating or cooking.

Don’t:

• Don’t go too fast, especially if you are nowhere near that 50% mark. Increase fibre gradually, while you slowly increase water intake.
• Avoid too many dried fruits or fibre supplements. The former are very high in sugar so occasional dates or figs are fine but not eaten daily as a ‘bowel aid’.  The latter can interfere with absorption of medications and can contain unhealthy ingredients.

All the recipes on this website include a lot of fibre, so just make your choice here