10 Top Tips to Increase Fibre Intake

Fibre is the part of food that escapes the usual process of digestion in the small bowel and makes its way to the large bowel. This helps to keep the bowel regular and healthy. Dietary fibre is found only in plant foods such as cereals, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes. 

10 Tips for increasing your fibre intake

Choose wholemeal or wholegrain breads, brown rice and wholemeal noodles and pasta.

Eat wholegrain breakfast cereals which are low in sugar or sugar free – check the ingredient list for the words wholegrain, whole wheat or rolled oats. Or make your own variety of Natural Muesli or porridge.

Sprinkle chopped fresh or dried fruit, wheatgerm or seeds on breakfast cereal.

Choose high fibre snacks e.g. fresh fruit, raw vegetables, wholemeal bread or a wholegrain biscuit such as Ryvita® or Vita-weat.

When baking cakes, muffins, biscuits or pastries, substitute some white flour for wholemeal, or include dried or fresh fruit and vegetables such as grated carrots.

Use rolled oats to bind rissoles or meat loaf.

Eat whole fruit rather than drinking the juice.

Substitute some of the meat in stews, casseroles or mince dishes with cooked lentils, split peas, kidney beans or chick peas. Add extra vegetables.

Use chopped raw vegetables e.g. carrot, celery, cauliflower, capsicum, asparagus and snow peas, to dip into salsa or low fat dip.

Leave the skins on fruit and vegetables.