Fibre Facts

Did you know that eating more soluable fibre may help you to reduce your risk of heart disease just as much as if you were to follow a low fat diet? Here are some fibre facts you need to know to maintain good health.

High cholesterol is one of the leading risk factors for cardiovascular disease - the No. 1 cause of death in Canada. So who wouldn't want to cut the levels in their blood?

According to researchers at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute eating more soluble fibre may be the answer helping to reduce your risk of heart disease just as much as if you were to follow a low fat diet.

The first thing you need to know about fibre is that there are two types: soluble and insoluble. Most foods have more insoluble (50-75%) than soluble (25-30%) fibre. Both types of fibre are important in the diet and provide benefits to the digestive system by helping to maintain regularity. It is the soluble fibre however that helps the body control blood cholesterol levels.

How soluble fibre helps lower blood cholesterol

Soluble fibre binds to bile acids in the intestines causing them to be eliminated. Since fewer biles are available the liver draws cholesterol from the bloodstream to make more. This reduces the level of blood cholesterol.

Other benefits of fibre

A diet high in fibre is usually low in fat which further helps prevent heart disease.
Soluble fibre can help stabilize blood sugar levels in people with diabetes by delaying stomach emptying. This slows the rate of carbohydrate absorption improves regulation of blood sugar and lowers insulin requirements.
The water-holding capacity of fibre helps soften stools and prevents constipation. Of course you need to drink plenty of fluids.
Fibre may decrease the risk of colon cancer by increasing the speed of elimination. This reduces the amount of time harmful cancer-causing substances are in contact with the intestinal cells. Also stool contents including carcinogens become diluted and less harmful.
A high-fibre diet may reduce the risk of diverticulosis and hemorrhoids.
Fibre increases the feeling of fullness by adding bulk to foods without additional calories. This may reduce the risk of obesity.

According to Hamilton, Ontario pediatrician Dr. Bob Issenman most chronic belly problems in older school age children result from problems with the diet. "These problems can range from chronic stomach aches to problems with constipation or even diarrhea" says Issenman. "Many people get away with bad eating habits. But between 16 and 20 per cent of adults and children suffer from chronic intestinal complaints which result from low fibre intake."

The Nutrition Recommendations for Canadians do not specify the exact amount of fibre we need to eat. However according to Dietitians Canada it is generally recommended that adults aim for 25-35 grams of fibre per day.

Dr. Issenman suggests setting a fibre goal for children. A simple guideline is to add five to their age in years to determine the number of grams of fibre they need each day. For example a 13-year old would need about 18 grams of fibre per day. He also recommends:

Eating some form of cereal fibre with every meal.
Start with breakfast. Research has shown that breakfast is the best chance to encourage cereal fibre intake in children.
Shoot for a cereal choice that has four grams of fibre.
Ignore advertising about vitamins. Most children get plenty of vitamins. Some cereals have plenty of vitamins but no fibre.
Offer a choice among high fibre cereals but not between high fibre and low fibre cereals.
If the package name sounds more like a game than a food forget it. Highly sweetened cereals with lots of food colouring are treats not foods. Save them for special occasions and throw them out when the party's over.
Twelve grain bread is great for sandwiches. Two slices have four grams of fibre. Peanut butter adds another two grams.
Snack healthy. Granola bars oatmeal cookies and raisin/nut mixtures are great for kids older than age four.
Everyone gets the same choice. You can't enforce a diet for one child when everyone else in the family gets to eat foods like white bread potato chips and french fries.

"Don't aim for perfection the first week" says Issenman. "Make the diet transition gradual. If your family likes white bread change to whole wheat bread. Substitute seven grain or twelve grain bread after a few weeks or months. There are a lot of benefits for the whole family from this kind of diet."

Too much of a good thing?

There can be unpleasant side effects associated with any sudden change in diet. Cramping diarrhea and intestinal gas are some of the problems associated with adding too much fibre too quickly. Gradually increase your fibre intake over a period of six to eight weeks. Drinking more water will help reduce negative side effects.

Finding Fibre
Food	Serving size	Total fibre (grams)	Soluble fibre (grams)	Insoluble fiber (grams)
English muffin	1	2.0	0.5	1.5
Spaghetti cooked	1 cup	2.0	0.5	1.5
Whole-wheat bread	1 slice	2.5	0.5	2.0
White rice cooked	1 cup	0.5	0	0.5
Bran cereal	¹/₃ cup	8.5	3.0	5.5
Corn flake cereal	1 cup	1.0	0	1.0
Oatmeal cooked	³/₄ cup	3.0	1.0	2.0
Banana	1 medium	2.0	0.5	1.5
Apple with skin	1 medium	3.0	0.5	2.5
Orange	1 medium	2.0	0.5	1.5
Pear with skin	1 medium	4.5	0.5	4.0
Strawberries	¹/₂ cup	1.0	0	1.0
Broccoli	¹/₂ cup	2.0	0	2.0
Corn	¹/₂ cup	1.5	0	1.5
Potato baked with skin	1 medium	4.0	1.0	3.0
Spinach	¹/₂ cup	2.0	0.5	1.5
Kidney beans	¹/₂ cup	4.5	1.0	3.5
Popcorn	1 cup	1.0	0	1.0
Peanut butter	2 tablespoons	2.4	0.2	2.2
Graham crackers	2	2.8	0.5	2.3

High fibre recipe:

BRAN MUFFINS
Yield = 12 muffins

250 ml (1 cup) whole wheat flour
250 ml (1 cup) natural bran
30 ml (2 Tbsp.) oat bran
175 ml (3/4 cup) packed brown sugar
2 ml (1/2 tsp.) salt

5 ml (1 tsp.) baking powder

1 egg slightly beaten
75 ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil
175 ml (3/4 cup) 2% milk
5 ml (1 tsp.) vanilla
125 ml (1/2 cup) sunflower seeds
125 ml (1/2 cup) raisins

Combine the first six ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl combine the egg oil milk and vanilla. Add the egg mixture raisins and sunflower seeds to the flour mixture. With as few strokes as possible mix until dry ingredients are just moistened. Drop into 12 muffin cups. Bake at 180º C. (350º F.) for 15 - 20 minutes.

Per muffin: 6.1 g. fibre / 2.7 mg. iron / 245 calories

Variation: Omit sunflower seeds and use 1 C. raisins
Per muffin: 6.2 g. fibre / 2.8 mg. iron / 259 calories

Additional Resources:

Cookbooks:

MacDonald H.B. and Howard M.: Eat Well Live Well: The Canadian Dietetic Association's Guide to Healthy Living. MacMillan of Canada 1990.

Dietitians of Canada: Dietitians of Canada Cook Great Food. Robert Rose Inc. 2001

Websites:

Dietitians Canada

Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating