What are the Benefits of Fibre on Gut Health?

In the current age, people consume less fibre, which can be a big challenge when adapting to the changed dietary patterns and environment. People nowadays consume a lot of junk food, which tends to alter your gut as well as overall health. Fibre can benefit your digestion in different ways. Find out by reading on.

Supports Healthy Digestion

People nowadays, even those who are health conscious, add everything to their diet and count calories but miss out on one of the most critical components, which is dietary fibre.

Let’s see how fibre supports your digestion:

1. Regulates Bowel Movements: 

Like your digestive process, there is a dedicated elimination process in your body, too. Your body needs fibre for the proper formation and elimination of stools. Fibre adds bulk to your stool, thus making its passage through your body. It also helps to prevent issues like constipation, IBS, and other inflammatory digestive conditions.

2. Prevents Diarrhea: 

Diarrhoea occurs when there is a disturbance in your gut microbiome along with a lack of fibre in your diet. Soluble fibre absorbs water, which helps firm your loose stools. 

3. Reduces Risk of Digestive Disorders: 

A diet rich in fibre can decrease your chances of developing digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Feeds the Gut Microbiome

Your gut microbiome is a world of beneficial microorganisms crucial for your gut health. They help in the digestion, absorption and assimilation of your food. It helps to improve your gut health and boosts your overall health in the long run.

1. Prebiotic Effect:

Prebiotics are substances that help sustain your gut microbiome. Fibre acts as a food source for beneficial gut bacteria, promoting growth and activity in your intestines. Fibre is an excellent source of natural prebiotics.

2. Diverse Microbiota:

Fibre makes your gut environment favourable for the growth of various organisms. Fibre helps to support a diverse gut microbiome, which is essential for digestion in your body.

3. Production of Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs):

On fermentation in your body, fibre produces SCFAs like butyrate, which supports your gut health, reduces glucose and bad cholesterol, and prevents chronic diseases like Diabetes and Obesity.

Improves Gut Motility and Health

Fibers improve your digestive system’s functioning.

1. Stimulates Bowel Movements:

Fiber helps in the proper formation of your stools. This plant-based fibre is mainly found in fruits and vegetables. This fibre helps to regulate your gut motility. This process helps to move food through your digestive system more efficiently.

2. Strengthens the Intestinal Wall:

Fibre helps in the production of SCFAs. They strengthen your intestinal lining and gut health. It helps to reduce the risk of conditions like leaky gut syndrome.

3. Promotes a Healthy Colon:

Fibre helps grow beneficial bacteria in your gut and maintains a healthy pH in your colon, preventing harmful bacteria growth.

Reduces Inflammation

One of the leading causes of health issues is inflammation. This is the same for your gut health, too. Inflammation can cause inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), diarrhoea and other disorders. Fibre is anti-inflammatory in nature and can help to tackle inflammation. 

1. Anti-Inflammatory Properties:

Dietary fibre can protect the intestinal barrier mediated by SCFAs since butyrate promotes the integrity of the gut epithelium and boosts intestinal barrier integrity. Diets that have low amounts of fruits and vegetables and high amounts of red meat can cause an increased risk of IBD. Fibre helps to decrease inflammation in your gut, which can be very helpful in managing inflammatory conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

2. Supports Immune System Health:

Dietary fibres can affect your immune system by strengthening your intestinal barrier and gut health. A balanced gut microbiome helps regulate your immune system, reducing the risk of chronic inflammation and related diseases. Adding fibre to your diet prevents diseases like colitis, inflammatory arthritis, respiratory syncytial virus infection, allergic airway inflammation, and food allergy.

Supports Weight Management

Fibre may help you to manage a healthy weight.

Let’s see how this happens:

1. Satiety and Fullness:

When you try to lose weight, it’s essential to keep a count of your calories. Staying on a calorie deficit helps people lose weight. However, staying in a calorie deficit can be challenging as you can feel hungry within short time intervals. Fibres, which are dense, can help reduce your appetite. Examples of viscous soluble fibres include pectins, beta-glucans, psyllium, glucomannan, and guar gum. These aid in the management of your weight.

2. Slow Digestion of Nutrients:

Fibre is dense in nature and hence digests slowly. This slows down the absorption of sugars, helping regulate blood sugar levels and support your metabolism. This helps to maintain your energy levels for a longer time.

3. Promotes Healthy Gut-Related Hormones:

Fibre helps in the release of gut hormones like ghrelin, which plays an important role in regulating your hunger and appetite.

Lowers Risk of Chronic Diseases

Fibre not only helps in the management of your gut health but also regulates your overall health. It also lowers the risk of chronic diseases as follows:

1. Reduces the Risk of Heart Disease:

A healthy gut with adequate fibre consumption reduces cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease. Many recent studies have shown that Dietary fibre prevents cardiovascular diseases.

2. Supports Blood Sugar Management:

Soluble fibre keeps you full for a longer time, thus reducing your appetite. This helps to decrease frequent eating. Due to this, there are reduced blood sugar spikes, hence benefiting those at risk of or living with diabetes.

3. May Lower Cancer Risk:

Fibre, particularly from whole grains and legumes, has been associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer. Some specific fibres found in wheat bran and phytic acid have protective actions. Regular consumption of food rich in this fibre can prevent the incidence of cancer.

Practical Tips to Increase Your Fiber Intake

Adding fibre to your diet doesn’t have to be complicated.

Here are some practical ways to increase your fibre intake:

1. Fruits and Vegetables: 

Add a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables daily to your diet. Examples: berries, apples, carrots, broccoli, and spinach. 
Whole Grains: Replace refined and processed grains with whole-grain options like oats, quinoa and brown rice.

2. Legumes: 

Add legumes like beans, lentils, and chickpeas to your diet. They are a great source of both soluble and insoluble fibre.

3. Nuts and Seeds: 

Add fibre-rich options like almonds, chia seeds, and flaxseeds as snacks or toppings in your meals.

4. Stay Hydrated: 

Drink plenty of water to help smooth the movement of the fibre and stools through your digestive system, preventing constipation.

Takeaway

Fiber plays an essential role in maintaining your gut health. It has many benefits, which include supporting your digestion while nourishing your gut microbiome. This helps to reduce inflammation in your body and also keeps you in a healthy weight range. 

To make sure you get these benefits, it is essential to add a variety of fibre-rich foods to your diet, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. However, bear in mind that excess of anything can be harmful. Avoid adding excess fibre to your diet. Small dietary changes can improve your gut health and, hence, the overall quality of your life.