Fibre all the way for gut health

As we mark Gut Health Month in February, Coles’ Group Nutritionist Kim Tikellis offers tips and recipes to keep you healthy. 

While we can’t see our gut, we certainly hear a lot about its importance for our health. Think about it as feeling better from the inside out. Health conditions linked to your gut and a low-fibre diet include constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis and bowel cancer. A healthy eating plan that’s high in fibre is a positive start to help keep your digestive system healthy.

Add dietary fibre

The top tip for a healthy gut is to enjoy foods high in dietary fibre, especially wholegrain cereals, fruits and vegetables, beans or legumes, and nuts.  Seems easy enough, but in fact most Aussie adults don’t eat enough dietary fibre to achieve the 30 grams we need daily.

There are two types of dietary fibre, and both are beneficial to include in your daily diet:

1. Soluble or digestible fibre, found in whole grain oats, fruit and veggies.
2. Insoluble or undigested fibre, found in seeds, pips and nuts. 

Simple ideas to help increase your daily fibre intake

• Enjoy breakfast cereals high in barley, whole grain wheat or oats
• Add mixed salad to your lunchtime sandwich
• Switch in wholemeal or multigrain bread and try brown rice
• Snack on fresh fruit, nuts and dried fruit, or wholemeal crackers topped with avocado
• Add an extra vegetable serve to your main meal

Did you know?

Regular physical exercise plus keeping up your fluids also supports gut health.  Water is the best choice.

Kim Tikellis’ gut-loving recipes