Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The next question in Q & A Thursday is all about fibre – which foods are high in soluble fibre and low in insoluble fibre?

Fibre is a HUGE topic and most people need to concentrate on getting more fibre in their diet. Most people simply don’t eat enough.

However there are some digestive complaints which can be exacerbated by the type of fibre you eat. This is true for many people who suffer irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Soluble vs insoluble fibre

There are two main types of fibre: insoluble and soluble fibre. Most foods contain a combination of both of these.

Insoluble fibre attracts water. This bulks up and softens your stool – making it easier to have a bowel movement and reducing the likelihood of constipation._

Soluble fibre on the other hand is fermented by bacteria in the large intestines. _This fermentation yields short chain fatty acids (SCFA) which have significant health benefits

Which foods contain insoluble fibre?

• Grain foods: wheat, rye, most bread, most breakfast cereals, pasta, corn
• Legumes: kidney beans, lentils, lima beans
• Fruit & vegetables: the skin of most fruit and vegetables contain insoluble fibre, peas
• Nuts and seeds

Which foods contain soluble fibre?

• Grain foods: oatmeal, rolled oats, rice and barley
• Legumes: lentils, dried peas and beans
• Fruit: apples, bananas, grapefruit, oranges, strawberries – peel your fruit as much as possible, as insoluble fibre is often found in the skin
• Vegetables: peel vegetables to reduce the insoluble fibre

What to eat if you’re trying to reduce insoluble fibre?

Breakfast:

• porridge with milk and berries
• cooked brown rice with yoghurt, banana and maple syrup
• Omelette with spinach and mushrooms

Lunch:

• Large salad with tinned fish, avocado and rice mixed through
• Stir fry with vegetables, meat or tofu and rice noodles
• Lentil and barley soup

Dinner:

• Grilled meat or fish with plenty of vegetables
• Roasted (peeled) vegetables with cooked chickpeas, barley and a dressing made of olive oil, lemon juice and mustard
• Stir fry with vegetables, meat or tofu and rice

Snacks:

• Fresh fruit (peel apples, pears, etc)
• Yoghurt

What is Q & A Thursday?

This post is part of Q & A Thursday – a fortnightly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. Q & A Thursday is all about simple, practical answers to food and diet dilemmas sent in by readers.

If you have a question you’d like answered, leave a comment below or send me an email. For more information you can take a look at the Q & A Thursday archives.

22 November, 2007