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How Fibre Improves Gut Health

How fibre impacts gut health and overall wellness through diet

Written by Melanie Nolan

7 min-read
16citations
How Fibre Improves Gut Health

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The Role of Gut Bacteria in Our Health

Our microbes process our food, educate our immune system on how to tell friend from foe, fight off nasty pathogens, and influence everything from our metabolism (of hormones and food!) to our mood.

So what is quite amazing, is that we have the direct ability to influence what species of bacteria can survive and thrive in our gut. Our diet changes what we are feeding the bacteria. And since our bacterial species all have different requirements for nutrients, what we eat will support different communities.

Put simply, eating good food feeds the good bacteria, and eating highly processed, high-sugar food feeds the bad bacteria.


Fibre is Key

Disruption to our gut microbiome is linked to many conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, MS, and poor immunity—and the list goes on.

One of the biggest contributors to this disruption is not eating enough fibre.


What Does Our Gut Bacteria Do with Fibre?

When we eat fibre, our gut microbes feast on it, breaking it down to produce short-chain fatty acids. These by-products of fermentation do amazingly good things in the gut:

  • Provide energy to your intestinal cells.

  • Prevent DNA damage (a precursor to bowel cancer).

  • Increase the acidity of the colon, making it less hospitable for bad bacteria.

  • Regulate our immune system, especially in preventing overactivity (which can contribute to autoimmune diseases).

What Should You Eat?

Fibre is such a broad term, but what does it actually include?

There are three different types of fibre: resistant starch, insoluble fibre, and soluble fibre. The key is to consume a diverse range of all three.

Useful Foods for Gut Health:

  • Leafy vegetables (like broccoli)

  • Raspberries

  • Chickpeas

  • Avocados

  • Raw almonds

  • Flaxseed meal

  • Fruits with the skin on

  • Cold roast potatoes

  • Rolled oats

  • Lentils

The more fibre you eat, the happier and more diverse your gut microbiome will be. If you have gut concerns or feel your digestion isn’t optimal, the first step is to focus on fibre-rich foods like those above. By doing so, you will be directly feeding beneficial bacteria and starving off harmful bacteria, leading to a significant shift in the composition of your gut.


The Downstream Benefits of Fibre

A healthy gut microbiome has far-reaching effects on your body. Even your hormones will be happier! Certain gut bacteria help metabolise oestrogen, ensuring that it doesn’t build up excessively.

By prioritising fibre-rich foods, you are taking a crucial step towards better digestion, a balanced immune system, and overall well-being.

(And lastly, if you really know your gut needs working on and you don't know where to start, Bonnie our naturopath is amazing with gut concerns (she has extra specialist training on the gut) - you can book here with her.)

Until next time!
Take care, Melanie