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Dietary Fibre and Your Body
Dietary fibre, or fibre, is the part of food that cannot be digested
by our bodies. Therefore, there is a misconception that fibre is just
food remains, while in fact, both water-soluble and water-insoluble fibre,
found in different types of food, serve different functions in the body.
The health benefits of dietary fibre
Intake of adequate amount of foods with a high fibre content helps in
the prevention of diseases and chronic body imbalances.
- Prevention and relief of constipation
Fibre increases the bulk of stool and stimulates motion of the large
intestine. It absorbs water, lubricates the large intestine and makes
defecation easier.
- Digestion and absorption
Fibre stimulates the secretion of digestive fluids and the action of
"good" bacteria in the intestine, hence, stimulating the formation
of vitamin B2.
- Protection against cancer of the large intestine
Fibre prevents the accumulation of cancer-causing (or carcinogenic)
materials because it shortens the retention period of waste materials.
- Weight-control
As fibre absorbs large amount of water, it expands in volume and
gives a sensation of fullness. Moreover, more time is required for chewing
high-fibre foods, hence less food would be consumed.
- Stabilization of blood sugar level and control of diabetes
Fibre can slow down the body's absorption of sugar.
- Lowering of blood cholesterol level, hence prevention of heart
disease
Water-soluble fibre combines with cholesterol and then excretes
it.
Foods with a high fibre content
Only foods of plant origin contain fibre. Examples include:
Cereals - wholemeal bread, red rice, oatmeal
Vegetables - kale, watercress, spinach
Root vegetables - potato, sweet potato
Beans - mung bean, kidney bean, black-eye bean, red bean
Fungi - straw mushroom, button mushroom, white fungus, black fungus,
Fruits - orange, grapefruit, prune
Others- sesame, chestnut, cashew nut, peanut
Daily fibre requirement
Adolescence and adults need 25 g or above of fibre everyday while children need less. Add 5
to a child's age to calculate the amount of fibre needed per day (Age
+ 5 = grams of fibre required per day).
For example, a 6-year-old child would need 11g of dietary fibre per day.
Source¡G Central Health Education Unit of Department of Health
Essential facts
- There is no fibre in fish, meat, shrimps, eggs and milk.
- Obtain fibre from food rather than fibre tablets, powder or other
supplements.
- Consume different types of fibre-rich foods because fibre from different
food serve different functions.
- Increase fibre intake gradually to avoid gastrointestinal upset from
sudden intake of large amounts of fibre.
- Too much fibre would lead to malnutrition and decreased absorption
of minerals.
- Take fruits and vegetables together with the skin, like unpeeled plums,
grapes.
- Fresh fruit is better than fruit juice because most of the fibre in
fruit is damaged when
it is squeezed to make juice.
- Fibre absorbs a lot of water. For fibre to function effectively,
a daily intake of 6-8 glasses of fluid is required.
- Although fibre is important to health, we should not neglect other
food types. A balanced diet and regular exercise are of utmost importance
to good health.
Fibre content in different types of
food
| Food type and
amount |
fibre content (g) |
Cereals
White rice (uncooked)
White rice (cooked)
Brown rice (uncooked)
Brown rice (cooked)
Wholemeal bread
Wholemeal cereals
Cornflakes
Oatmeal (uncooked)
Oatmeal (cooked)
|
100g
100g
100g
100g
100g
100g
100g
100g
100g |
0.6
0.2
3.4
1.8
6.8
11.7
3.6
10.1
1.7 |
Fruits/dried fruits
Apple (with skin)
Orange (peeled and seedless)
Banana (peeled)
Dried prune (seedless)
Raisin (seedless)
Fig
Dates (seedless)
Dried Apricot
|
100g
100g
100g
100g
100g
100g
100g
100g
|
2.4
2.4
2.6
7.1
3.7
2.9
6.7
7.7 |
Vegetables
Broccoli (cooked)
Kale (cooked)
Watercress (cooked)
Lettuce (raw)
Onion (raw)
Tomato (raw)
Carrot (cooked)
Corn (cooked)
Green pea (cooked)
Potatoes (baked, with skin)
Sweet potato (baked, with skin)
|
100g
100g
100g
100g
100g
100g
100g
100g
100g
100g
100g
|
3.3
2
1.2
1.5
1.7
1.3
3
2.4
5.5
2.2
3.3 |
Dried beans
Black-eye bean (cooked)
Soya bean (cooked)
Red bean (cooked)
Mung bean (cooked)
Kidney bean (cooked)
|
100g
100g
100g
100g
100g |
6.5
6
7.3
7.6
6.4 |
Others
Cashew nut
Peanut
Sesame
Chestnut (peeled)
|
100g
100g
100g
100g |
3.3
8.5
11.81
1.2 |
An example of a high-fibre diet
| Meal |
Food type
and amount |
fibre
content (g) |
Breakfast
|
low-fat milk, 1 glass (240ml)
wholemeal bread, 2 slices ( 56g)
egg, 1 piece ( 50g)
|
0
3.8
0 |
Morning snack
|
Raisins, 1/2 cup ( 49g)
wholemeal crackers, 3 pieces ( 24g)
|
1.8
1.9 |
| Lunch |
brown rice, 1 bowl ( 195g)
steamed fish ( 120g)
broccoli (cooked), 1/2bowl ( 90g)
Banana, 1 piece ( 118g)
|
3.5
0
3
3 |
| Afternoon snack |
boiled corn 1/2 bowl ( 82g) |
2.0 |
| Dinner |
brown rice, 1 bowl ( 195g)
kale (cooked), 1/2 bowl ( 65g)
meat or chicken ( 120g)
orange,1 piece ( 131g)
|
3.5
1.3
0
3.1 |
|
| |
|
26.9 |
References:
Nutrient Information Inquiry System, Centre for food safety
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