High Fibre Recipes
High fibre recipes need to contain at least 3 g of fibre per 100 kcal. However, its not just the amount of fibre in a recipe that we need to pay attention to, there's actually different types of fibre that serve different functions in our body. First off there's soluble fibre, this type of fibre is found in veggies, legumes and beans, chia seeds, apples and oats. It's called soluble fibre because it dissolves easily in water to form a gel like substance which contributes towards healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels. There's also insoluble fibre which you can find in the skin of veg and fruits, nuts and seeds and wholemeal bread. As you might of guessed, this type of fibre does not dissolve in water, and is important for keeping us regular. Finally there is resistant starch, found in lentils, peas, beans and bananas. This type of fibre feeds the good bacteria in our gut.
How Much Fibre Do We Need Per Day?
The current recommendation for how much fibre we need a day from the NHS is that adults consume 30g of fibre a day, but did you know that most people consume far less than this? There’s lots of tips and tricks you can use to make sure you’re eating enough fibre, for example eating veg with the skin on (including carrots and potatoes). Many people believe that sources of fibre like fruit and veg have to be eaten raw to keep their fibre levels, however, this isn't true. You can enjoy cooked dishes like veggie packed curries and stews and still increase your fibre intake.
Health Benefits of Eating More Fibre
We know that it’s important for our health to consume plenty of fibre, but why do we need fibre? Fibre takes a long time to digest, which makes us feel fuller. This can prevent us from consuming more calories than we need due to eating foods that digest quickly like overly processed food, because it slowly releases energy. Fibre is very important for digestion and maintaining your bowel health because it prevents constipation. Find out more about why it's important to eat fibre.
High Fibre Foods
Whilst there are many foods which can be described as a source of fibre meaning that they must contain at least 3 grams of fibre per 100 grams, high fibre foods must contain 6 g of fibre per 100g. Introduce more fibre into your diet by trying to include some of these high fibre foods into your diet:
- Bananas - 12.23 g per 100 grams
- Raspberries: 6.6g of fibre per 100g
- Avocados 6.7g per 100g
- Oats 10.1g per 100g
- Lentils 10.7g per 100g
- Air-popped popcorn 14.5 grams per 100 grams
Tips from Head Chef Anna
High Fibre Foods - Whole Grains
A great way to incorporate more high fibre foods into your diet is to opt for whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat pasta, oats and bulgar wheat over refined grains like white pasta and white flour. Whole grains consist of three parts. This includes the bran, which is the edible outer skin of a grain which contains fibre and B vitamins. Whole grains also include the germ, which is the part of the grain that helps sprout a new plant and finally the endosperm which contains the nutrients to help the new plant grow. Refined grains are stripped of one of these three key part, for example white flour only contains the endosperm. Whilst it's fine to consume refined grains, whole grains will increase your overall fibre intake. You can find whole grains in recipes like:
High Fibre Foods - Getting Your Five a Day
Another great way to incorporate more fibre into your diet is to consume recipes with more than one of your five a day. Did you know that dried fruit and pulses can count towards your five a day too? Check out some of our favourite plant packed recipes below:
- Black Bean Tacos - 5 portions of fruit and veg
- Ginger and Peanut Sweet Potato Curry - 3 portions of fruit and veg
- Aubergine Rice Bowl - 4 portions of fruit and veg
Including lots of fruit and veg packed recipes in your diet isn't just good for increasing your fibre intake, but also making sure you're getting a great balance of nutrients and vitamins, win win. That's why Green Chef makes it as easy as possible to consume plenty of fruit and veg, not only will each recipe contain up to five of your five a day, but the ingredients will also come pre-portioned to save you time and hassle planning your healthy diet.