So you go to the gym or keep active for your health. What about keeping your bowels healthy and fit.
Why is it Important?
Dietary fibre is important for good health. It plays an important part in bowel health assisting in:
- keeping your bowel habits regular
- shown to reduce the risk of bowel cancer
- helps lower blood cholesterol
- regulate blood glucose levels and
- helps with weight control
Those following a gluten free diet
A diet that is GF can possibly become low in fibre as high fibre grains like wheat, rye, barley and oats are no longer allowed. Fortunately with a little bit of planning and preparation you can meet your dietary fibre requirements on a GF diet.
What is Dietary Fibre?
Dietary fibre also referred to as roughage is the segment of plants that can not be broken down. There are three main types:
- Soluble Fibre
- Insoluble Fibre and
- Resistant Starch
Where is it Found?
Fibre is found in a range of foods including fruits, vegetables, bran or husk of cereal grains, nuts and seeds, legumes and lentils, skins of fruit and vegetables.
Table 1: Types of dietary fibre
Type of Fibre | Description | GF Sources |
Soluble | Forms gel solution in gut
Short chain fatty acids and gas produced By-products may help:
Lowers blood cholesterol and blood glucose levels |
Legumes (peas, soybeans, lentils, chickpeas, baked beans)
Some fruits (prunes, plums, berries, bananas, apples, pears) Vegetables (broccoli, carrots, Jerusalem artichokes, sweet potatos, onions) Psyllium husks, chia, rice bran, soy flour and soy grits
|
Insoluble | Undergoes minimal change in gut Helps regulate bowel function forming larger bulkier stools. |
Outer husk of cereal grains – wholegrain gluten free breads and cereals, brown rice Fruit (avocado, bananas, skin of tomato) Vegetables (green beans, cauliflower, zucchini, celery, potato skin) Nuts and seeds Corn bran |
Resistant Starch | Starch and starch products that escape digestion
Helps increase stool mass and promote intestinal health. |
Seeds, legumes Cornflakes Raw potatoes Firm banana Brown rice, wild rice Peas, corn Grains High amylose maize called High-maize® is one of the richest sources. Cooked and cooled potato, rice and pasta. |
Table 2: How much dietary fibre should you get?
Gender | Age (yrs) | Dietary Fibre Amount (g/day) |
Boys & Girls | 1-3 | 14 |
Boys & Girls | 4-8 | 18 |
Boys | 9-13 | 24 |
Boys | 14-18 | 28 |
Girls | 9-13 | 20 |
Girls | 14-18 | 22 |
Males | 19> | 30 |
Females | 19> | 25 |
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) Nutrient Reference values for Australian and New Zealand. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Services 2005.
Table 3: Dietary fibre of some foods
Foods | Serve Size | Dietary Fibre (g) |
Bread | ||
Zehnder™ GF Farmer’s Bread | 1 slice | 1.0 |
Zehnder™ Multiseed Bread | 1 slice | 1.4 |
Zehnder™ Multiseed Rolls | 1 roll | 1.9 |
Schar™ Ciabattina Grain Rolls | 1 roll | 4.5 |
Gluten Free Fruit Bread | 1 slice | 1-2 |
Gluten Free Plain Bread | 1 slice | 1-2 |
Tortilla, corn flour | 1 medium | 1.2 |
Taco, corn | 1 regular | 1 |
Breakfast Cereals | ||
Cornflakes | 1 cup | 1 |
Cornflakes with psyllium e.g. Freedom Foods™ | 1 cup | 2.6 |
GF Muesli e.g. Freedom Foods™, Nu-Vit™, Abundant Earth™, Brookfarm™ Macademia Muesli, Carman’s™ Deluxe Fruit Muesli | 1/3 cup | 3-4 |
Mixed flake and fruit e.g. Basco Apricot and Apple, Freedom Foods™ Berry Good Morning | 1 cup | 2-4 |
Rice porridge with dried fruit e.g. Lowan’s™ | 50g | 4 |
Puffed rice | 1 cup | 0.3 |
Rice flakes with psyllium e.g. Freedom Foods | 1 cup | 2 |
Orgran™ Multigrain O’s with Quinoa | 25g | 2.5 |
Other Grains | ||
Buckwheat kernels, boiled | 100g | 5 |
Millet, cooked | 1cup | 2.5 |
Polenta, cooked | 1cup | 2.3 |
Quinoa, boiled | 100g | 6 |
Other Grains | ||
Soy grits | 3 tbsp | 6.6 |
Chickpea flour (Besan) | 1 cup | 9.8 |
Quinoa, flour | 1 cup | 8 |
Soy flour | 1 cup | 7 |
Amaranth flour | ||
Buckwheat flour | ||
Gluten Free Pasta and Rice | ||
GF Pasta, cooked | 1 cup | 3.0 |
Orgran Multigrain Pasta with Quinoa, cooked | 1 cup | 3.8 |
Foods | Serve Size | Dietary Fibre (g) |
Pasta, cooked e.g. Bi-Aglut™ | 1 cup | 4.3 |
Rice brown, cooked | 1 cup | 3.0 |
Rice white, cooked | 1 cup | 0.8 |
Rice, wild, cooked | 1 cup | 2.5 |
Rice Noodles, boiled | 1 cup | 1.1 |
Buckwheat Noodles (Soba), boiled | 1 cup | 2.8 |
Gluten Free Crackers | ||
Rice cake | 2 | 0.8 |
Corn Crispbread | 2 slice | 0.3 |
Rice Crackers | ~15 crackers | 0.6 |
Fruit | ||
Apple raw, unpeeled | 1 medium | 4 |
Avocado | 1 | 6.8 |
Banana raw, peeled | 1 medium | 2.3 |
Blackberry | 1 cup | 12.0 |
Blueberry | 1 cup | 2.5 |
Canned fruit, drained | 1 cup | 4.8 |
Date, dried | 4 | 1.9 |
Dried mixed fruit | 1Tb | 0.8 |
Grapes | 1 cup | 4.4 |
Kiwi fruit, peeled | 1 medium | 3 |
Nashi Pears, unpeeled | 1 | 3.9 |
Orange, peeled | 1 medium | 3 |
Passionfruit | 1 medium | 2.5 |
Pear, unpeeled | 1 medium | 4.2 |
Prunes, dried | 5 | 3 |
Rockmelon | 1 cup | 2.0 |
Strawberries | 1 punnet | 5.3 |
Sultana, dried | 1/2 cup | 3 |
Vegetables | ||
Artichoke, globe, raw | 1 | 10.7 |
Beans, green, cooked | 1 cup | 3.5 |
Beetroot, canned | 5 slices | 4 |
Foods | Serve Size | Dietary Fibre (g) |
Vegetables | ||
Broccoli, boiled | 2 florets | 3.9 |
Brussel Sprouts, cooked | 4 | 3.9 |
Cabbage, cooked | 1 cup | 4.2 |
Capsicum, red, raw | 0.5 cup | 1.1 |
Carrot, boiled | ½ cup | 2.4 |
Cauliflower, boiled | 4 florets (108g) | 3.0 |
Celery, raw | 1 med stalk | 0.6 |
Foods | Serve Size | Dietary Fibre (g) |
Corn on cob | 1 medium | 3 |
Cucumber, common, unpeeled | 1 medium | 3.7 |
Eggplant, raw | 2 slices | 2.3 |
Fennel, bulb, raw | 1 | 3.9 |
Green bean, boiled | 100g | 2.5 |
Vegetables | ||
Lettuce, iceberg, raw | 1 cup | 0.9 |
Mushrooms, common, raw | 0.5 cup | 0.6 |
Mixed vegetables, frozen, boiled | 1 cup | 6 |
Parsnip, peeled, boiled | ½ cup | 2 |
Peas Green, boiled | 1 cup | 10.5 |
Potato, unpeeled | 1 average | 3.3 |
Potato, peeled | 1 average | 2.3 |
Pumpkin, peeled, boiled | ½ cup | 1 |
Spinach, English, raw | 1 cup | 0.6 |
Swede, peeled, boiled | 1 small | 4.3 |
Side salad | 1 cup | 1-2 |
Tomato, raw | 1 medium | 1.5 |
Vegetable Soup | 1 cup | 5.2 |
Zucchini, unpeeled, boiled | 1 medium | 1.4 |
Nuts and Seeds | ||
Almond, raw | 2 Tb, 20 | 2.1 |
Cashew, raw | 2 Tb, 15 | 1.3 |
Peanut, raw | 2 Tb | 1.4 |
Chia seeds | 1 Tb | 5.4 |
Linseed (Flaxseed) | 1 Tb | 3 |
Pumpkin seeds | 1 Tb | 1 |
Sesame seeds | 1 Tb | 1.5 |
Sunflower seeds | 1 Tb | 1.5 |
Peanut butter | 1 Tb | 2 |
Tahini | 1 Tb | 2.7 |
Fibre Supplements | ||
Psyllium Husks | 1 Tb | 4.8 |
LSA Mix | 1 Tb | 1.9 |
Rice bran | 1Tb | 2 |
Legumes and Lentils | ||
Baked beans, canned in tom sauce | 1 small can | 5.8 |
Four Bean Mix, canned, drained | 1 cup | 12.4 |
Refried Beans, canned | 100g | 5.3 |
Chickpea, canned, drained | 100g | 4.7 |
Lentil, dried, boiled | 1/2 cup (100g) | 3.7 |
Red Kidney Beans, canned, drained | 1 cup | 12.3 |
Tofu, firm, cooked | 1 cup | 26.4 |
Foods | Serve Size | Dietary Fibre (g) |
Tofu, silken/soft, cooked | 1 cup | 5.8 |
Hummus | 1 Tb | 1.5 |
Gluten Free Snacks | ||
Popcorn | 25g (3 cups) | 3.7 |
Corn Chips | 1 small pkt | 1.3 |
GF Muesli Bar | 1 bar | 2.9 |
GF Fruit filled baked bar e.g. Leda™ | 1 bar | 3.0 |
Sesame Snap | 1 bar, 40g | 2.2 |
Sources: Figures adapted from FoodWorks Professional Edition, Version 6, © 2009 (Xyris Software, Brisbane, Australia) and manufacturer’s analyses
10 Tips on how to Boost your Dietary Fibre Intake on a Gluten Free Diet
Tip 1: Read food labels and choose foods that contain fibre.
Table 4: Food Claims and Definitions
Food Claims | Definition |
Very high in fibre / excellent source of fibre | At least 6 g / serve |
High fibre / good source of fibre | At least 3 g / serve |
Provides fibre / source of fibre | At least 1.5 g / serve |
Tip 2: Select high fibre options such as multigrain or fruit bread, wholegrain pasta, brown rice
Tip 3: Leave edible skin on fruit and vegetables
Tip 4: Add legumes and lentils to your soups and casseroles
Tip 5: Add seeds, nuts, other fibre options like rice bran, psyllium, dried fruit to your homemade breads, breakfast cereals, yoghurt, biscuits, cakes etc.
Tip 6: Choose fibre rich cereals for breakfast such as muesli, puffed brown rice and other high-fibre breakfast cereals
Tip 7: Choose whole fruits instead of juice
Tip 8: Snack on dried fruit, vegetable sticks, nuts and seeds
Tip 9: If cooking/baking gluten free using soy flour, brown rice flour, buckwheat flour and cornmeal (polenta) will help boost the fibre content
Tip 10: Include legumes and lentils in your diet e.g. baked beans on toast, beans on corn chips, chickpeas in salad, hummus on crackers
Table 5: Low fibre versus high fibre nutrition sample menu
Low Fibre Menu Plan
|
Fibre (g)
|
High Fibre Menu Plan |
Fibre (g) |
Breakfast Scrambled Eggs & Bacon 2 x White Bread 250 mL Fruit Juice
|
0 1.6 0 |
Breakfast Poached eggs & ham 2 x Wholegrain Bread 1 Orange |
0 2.8 3.0 |
Snack Chocolate Muffin |
1.6 |
Snack Banana Muffin with bran and nuts 1 glass low fat milk
|
4.0
0 |
Lunch White Bread S/wich Cheese & Turkey Cranberry Sauce
|
1.6 0 0
|
Lunch 1 cup Brown rice Tuna 0.5 cup Corn Side Salad
|
3.0 0 2.0 2.0 |
Snack 1 row Rice Crackers
|
0.6 |
Snack Vegetable Sticks with Hummus
|
4.2 |
Dinner 1 cup cooked White Pasta Tomato Based Pasta Sauce Cheese
|
3.0 1.7
0 |
Dinner 1 cup cooked Multigrain Pasta Tomato Based Sauce 0.5 cup Vegetables Cheese
|
3.8
1.7 3.0 |
Supper Yoghurt |
0 |
Supper Yoghurt |
0 |
Total | 10.1 | 29.5 |
Don’t forget
- Increase your fibre intake gradually, your body needs time to adapt. If you increase your intake too quickly it can cause bloating and a lot of wind!
- Don’t go overboard! A high fibre diet is good for health, but going over the top e.g. >40 g/day can reduce your body’s absorption of important minerals such as iron, zinc and calcium from your food.
- You need to consume adequate fluid in order to help the fibre work best in your digestive system. There is no one specific guideline for fluid as it is individual however a good aim is approximately 6-8 glasses a day.
Try our Untoasted Muesli Recipe to boost your fibre at brekky!
Serves 29
- 1kg rolled oats
- 3 cups cranberries or dried banana
- 3 cups almonds, dry roasted are nice for that extra crunch
- 3 cups shredded coconut
- 2 cups pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup cinnamon
Optional: if you don’t require low FODMAP ingredients, you can increase the dried fruit quantity and variety such as adding in sultanas, goji berries
Methods
Mix ingredients together and keep in an airtight container.
Hints
Serve with milk and yoghurt and some fresh fruit on top.
Nutritional Analysis Per Serve, 65g
- Energy 1297 (kJ) 310 (cal)
- Protein 8.7 (g)
- Carbohydrate 23 (g)
Fat 19 (g) - Fibre 7.3 (g)