Why is fibre important in your diet?

Fibre plays an important part in a balanced diet as it can help prevent heart disease, diabetes, weight gain and certain cancers. It also helps improve digestive health. Many people don't have enough fibre included within their diet, the average adult (16years+) should aim to get around 30g per day.  However, this is different for children:

  • 2-5-year-olds- 15g
  • 5-11-year-olds- 20g
  • 11-16-year-olds- 25g

You can easily increase your fibre within your diet by changing a few simple things. For breakfast, try foods that contain oats or wheat to set you up for your day.

For lunch and dinners Instead of eating white pasta, rice or bread you switch to wholemeal or multigrain and add extra vegetables to your meals. Nuts, wholemeal crackers or dried fruit are also good sources of fibre.

Although fibre helps with constipation, it is possible to consume too much. Fibre absorbs water so if you do not drink plenty of water when you are eating lots of fibre your body will react to it. This can lead to diarrhoea, abdominal pain, constipation and feeling bloated.


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