What is fibre?
Fibre is a type of carbohydrate found in plants that our bodies can’t digest. Most other carbohydrates are broken down in our small intestine, however, fibre keeps going and reaches our large intestine intact.
Why is fibre an important part of our diet?
Eating a variety of fibre helps keep our digestive system healthy, for example, by keeping us regular (drinking plenty of fluids and keeping active can also help with this)3.
There is also is strong evidence that eating plenty of fibre can help reduce the risk of certain health conditions including:
How much fibre should you aim for?
Government guidelines recommend that adults should aim for 30g of fibre per day (children less – click here for recommendations)6. However, data consistently shows average intakes of only 20g. Therefore, whether it’s switching white rice for brown, or sprinkling nuts and seeds over your breakfast, most of us should be looking to eat more fibre7.
What is the link between fibre and our gut bacteria?
Research indicates that a fibre-rich diet may help increase the levels of beneficial bacteria that live in our gut. Part of the reason for this is that some types of fibre act as food for our beneficial bacteria, which may help stimulate their growth and activity8,9.
The link between our gut bacteria and health is complex and the science in this area is still emerging, however, researchers are investigating links between our gut bacteria and immune function, as well as our mood and mood disorders10.
What to know about nutrition and health claims
In the UK, strict laws govern nutrition and health claims that can be made for food and drink products11. The Great Britain Nutrition and Health Claims Register lists all permitted claims that can be made, based on the availability of scientific evidence12. If a claim is “not authorised” or not on the list, it can’t be used.
Before making any claims, consult the legislation and consider working with a Registered Nutritionist to ensure responsible promotion.
Nutrition claims for fibre
A nutrition claim indicates that a food has beneficial nutritional properties, due to its energy and/or nutrient content. There are two authorised nutrition claims for fibre.
Health claims for fibre
A health claim refers to a relationship between food and health, for example, “Calcium contributes to the normal function of digestive enzymes”. You might be surprised to hear that due to a lack of scientific evidence, there are no general health claims about fibre or gut health that are authorised for use in the UK.
There are some specific health claims that can be made, however, these refer to the presence of specific ingredients such as chicory inulin (a type of fibre).
Dietary fibre should come from a variety of sources including:
Fruit and vegetables
including fresh, frozen, tinned (with no added sugar/salt) and dried! o Where possible, include 80g of fresh/frozen/tinned or 30g of dried for 1 of your 5 a day!
• Higher fibre vegetables include carrots, broccoli, beetroot, cauliflower, aubergine, potatoes (skin on) and Brussels sprouts
• Higher fibre fruits include berries, apple and pears (skin on), figs and prunes
Beans and pulses
• Includes chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, black beans and peas
• As well as fibre, beans and pulses contribute additional protein, vitamins and minerals
• Where possible, include 80g for 1 of your 5 a day
Nuts, and seeds
• Include chia seeds, flaxseed, brazil nuts, almonds, walnuts and pecans
• As well as fibre, nuts and seeds which also add protein, vitamins and minerals to your dish
• Whilst whole nuts contain more fibre than nut butters, the latter are still a good source!
Wholegrain carbohydrates
• Including wholegrain, whole wheat, wholemeal, granary bread, wraps, crackers, pasta and breakfast cereals
• Brown, wholegrain and wild rice
• Oats, buckwheat, quinoa and ancient grains e.g. freekah and amaranth
It’s also important to drink plenty of fluids, especially when increasing your fibre intake10.
Develop new recipes or re-engineer existing ones to contain more fibre
Refer to “great sources of fibre” for more specific examples.
• Increase fruits and vegetables
• Add beans and pulses (consider replacing some or all meat for beans/pulses – this may also help cut costs!)
• Add nuts and seeds
• Switch refined carbohydrates for wholegrains
If you have access to nutrition analysis software, you can check the fibre content of your recipes. Recipes with ≥3g of fibre per 100g are a source of fibre and ≥6g per 100g are high in fibre.
Offer higher fibre products across different day parts
These could be for breakfast, or as part of a meal deal, for example:
• Higher-fibre cereals like porridge pots or wholegrain cereals with less sugar
• Bread – some white breads are a source of fibre, however, wholegrain, whole wheat, wholemeal and granary varieties tend to contain more.
• Cereal bars- that are based on wholegrains and contain nuts, seeds and/or dried fruit
• Savoury snacks – roasted chickpeas, peas, nuts, seeds and higher-fibre alternatives to crisps
Why not try our roasted beetroot, sweet potato and cauliflower pots. These pots are a source of fibre and contain at least one of your 5 a day. The cauliflower in this recipe is also a source of folate, which contributes to normal psychological function.
Consumer data reveals that healthy eating is increasingly front of mind, after a dip in previous years due to the cost-of-living crisis. For many, the focus is around balance i.e. reducing nutrients such as fat, sugar and salt, whilst still allowing for the occasional “treat”. There also seems to be a shift towards “positive nutrition”, which focuses on “what to eat” rather than the reductionist view of “what not to eat”. In other words, positive nutrition encourages the consumption of healthier foods, instead of demonising the consumption of less nutrient-dense alternatives.
Individual items that support good health, for example, fermented foods such as kefir that may help support the gut, continue to interest consumers. Nutrition and health claims are a fundamental part of this, with claims such as “high fibre” grabbing consumer’s attention. It’s important to note that any claims made must comply with legislation to avoid misleading consumers. This includes only using authorised claims from the GB Nutrition and Health Claims Register, which are based on scientific evidence.
Products with added prebiotic fibres, or similar ingredients that may help support gut health will likely continue to appeal to customers.
Prebiotics are a type of fibre that feed out gut bacteria. They are found in foods such as onions, garlic, apples and bananas but can also be added to food and drink products13.
With interest in fibre and gut health growing in recent years, foods that are naturally a source of or are high in fibre such as beans and pulses are likely to attract more interest from consumers.
Probiotics are “good” live microorganisms which can benefit our health by improving the balance of our gut bacteria. Probiotics are usually consumed through supplements or can be added to foods like yoghurt. They are generally considered safe for healthy people, however, they may not be suitable for everyone, including those with a weakened immune system. Please visit the NHS website for more information14.
Fermented foods include kefir (fermented milk), kombucha (fermented tea) and kimchi (fermented vegetables). They may contain live microorganisms and therefore may contribute to health in a similar way to probiotics, however, it depends on the individual product and the way in which it was produced/stored15.
The use of any of these ingredients should be as part of a healthy, balanced diet and not a substitute for any food, food group or nutrient.
There is a stronger focus on healthy eating amongst younger generations, in particular, Gen Z. Part of this may be that these generations are more open when it comes to different sources of healthy eating information, such as from social media. However, information online is not regulated, highlighting a need to be careful who you take nutrition advice from! Consider working with or following Registered Nutritionists and Dietitians for more reliable, evidence-based nutrition information.
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