Kids & Company Blog

The Doubled Edged Sword of Fibre

We all know that fibre is good as it helps strengthen the gut muscles, improving the ability for food to pass through our digestive system. However, you may have also heard that high fiber diets are bad, causing bloating, reductions in mineral absorption, and other negative effects. So then the question that naturally follows is, what’s the right amount of fibre and how does one achieve it?

The answer becomes more clear once the meaning of soluble and insoluble fibre is distinguished. Soluble fiber is fiber that can be dissolved in water, while insoluble cannot be. This is important as a right mixture of the two promotes health and maintains homeostasis in the body. In general though, when looking to increase your dietary fibre intake, you want to increase the soluble portion more so than the insoluble one. Soluble fiber is a fantastic way to lower cholesterol, control blood glucose levels and maintain colon health. The best sources of this soluble fibre subcategory are peas, oat products, beans and Brussel sprouts!

As a parent, one of the most important things you can do is to help your children learn healthy eating habits. Getting more fibre in your family’s diet can be easy by making small changes that will add up throughout the day. Try adding fibre into your child’s diet by opting out of fruit juices and eating whole fruits and veggies. Also foods like whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds have the fibre you need. Your body wants a proper balance of soluble and insoluble fibre, so remember to increase the soluble foods that you are choosing for your family!

Start your day off right by making fibre-rich banana pancakes. To make half a dozen pancakes you’ll need ½ cup of wheat bran, ⅓ cup of soy milk, ¼ tsp of cinnamon, ⅛ tsp of vanilla, 3 egg whites and ½ of a mashed banana. Pour wheat bran and milk into a mixing bowl and let stand for one to two minutes, then stir in cinnamon and vanilla. Mix in egg whites until combined, then fold in mashed banana. Oil a large frying pan or griddle then spoon mixture onto the hot pan. Flip after two minutes. For an even tastier pancake, top with 1 tsp of Canadian maple syrup!

FUN FACTS

1. Read labels to help you choose foods that contain fibre:
   Very high fibre= at least 6g
   High fibre= 3g
   Provides fibre= 1.5g

2. For breakfast choose bran or wholegrain cereals and wholemeal. Add some fruit too, for an added source of fibre.
3. Leave the edible skin on fruits and vegetables, they are packed with fibre!
4. Fibre can actually help with overeating. All high fibre foods will take longer to chew and digest, making you feel satisfied longer.
5. More fibre needs more water. In order to keep fibre moving through your digestive tract, you’ll need to consume a lot of water.

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Cheers,

Chef Lisa Ruscica

Chief Food Ambassador

 

Posted on: Wednesday September 21st, 2016

Posted by: Lisa Ruscica