Today we are highlighting the need for people to get more fiber in their diet, which is something that 90% of people are currently not doing.
Fiber comes with many health benefits, including:
- Lowering the risk of heart disease, strokes and diabetes
- Helps keep your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels down
A new study has once again highlighted the importance of this. One of the researchers involved in the study, Prof John Cummings described the results as “a game-changer” for encouraging people to make a change in their diet.
Prof Nita Forouhi, from the University of Cambridge, added that it “confirms that fiber and whole-grain intakes are clearly important for longer term health".
The study made a recommendation of 25g of fiber per day. It was completed by researchers from the University of Dundee and the University of Otago, in New Zealand.
For those looking to increase their fiber intake, here are a number of quick tips:
Fruit and vegetables
Fruit and vegetables are essential for providing you with fiber and evidence suggests eating 5 a day can protect you from certain cancers.
Cereal
Try switching to breakfast cereals that are high in fiber, such as oats, granola and whole grain cereals. For added flavour, sprinkle honey or berries on top.
Healthy substitutes
Incorporating healthy substitutes is also a great way to increase your fiber intake. Some simple ingredient substitutions can help reduce the amount of sugar, salt, fat and calories you consume.
Examples include:
- Whole-grain products
- Greek yogurt
- Spinach, arugula, kale and watercress
- Avocado
*Based on information from the BBC, NHS and the Lancet Journal.*
