MAKE FIBRE YOUR FRIEND

The health benefits of dietary fibre are often overlooked. We look at how increasing your intake can lead to a healthier you

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As well as playing a vital role in gut health, fibre can help stabilise blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol and provide energy. Yet it gets overlooked, leading some experts to call it "the forgotten nutrient".

According to research by recipe box specialist Gousto, 70% of UK adults don't even know what dietary fibre is. Dr Hilary Jones says, "It's incredible that so many people don't know what dietary fibre is. It is simply a type of carbohydrate that cannot be digested. People have become focused on protein, fruit and vegetables, dairy and carbohydrate, although most of these contain fibre in varying amounts."

Dr Hilary, who is supporting Gousto's Fibre Fix campaign to make it easier to eat more fibre more often, is also concerned by the nation's obsession with protein intake and misinformation about supplements.

"It worries me that research shows that 21% of people believe protein is more important than fibre for gut health," he says. "And 27% of people think supplements are just as good as fibre derived from whole foods. They couldn't be more wrong."

The recommended target for an adult is 30g of fibre a day, which Dr Hilary says is easily achieved. "A cup of oats is 4g. A cup of cooked green peas is 8.8g. An apple with skin is 4.5g. A cup of cooked broccoli is 5g. If half your plate is made up of vegetables it shows how easy the target becomes," he says.

Hitting this target is also important for immunity, to help normalise body weight and to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.