Benefits of Fibre

Last year I attended a workshop at EWFHT and learnt lots of interesting information about fibre from their registered dietician, Anna Maria Fruscione, MHSc, RD

“Fibre provides many benefits to your health. Diets rich in fibre from whole foods have been shown to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, regulate blood sugar levels, manage weight, improve digestive health and reduce the risk of conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain cancers. There are two types of fibre: soluble and insoluble fibre.

Specifically, soluble fibre has been shown to help reduce LDL levels (bad cholesterol)

Aim for between 25-38 g of fibre each day. You can increase your fibre intake by consuming more vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts and whole grains.

Sources of soluble fibre include:

 Vegetables and fruit

 Whole grains (for example: oats and barley)

 Legumes (such as chickpeas, lentils and beans)

Source of Insoluble Fibre:

 Vegetables and fruit

 The bran part of whole grains

 Seeds and nuts

If you are trying to increase your fibre, remember to stay well hydrated.

The Mediterranean Diet

Recently I attended a webinar on the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. Research, presented by the Primary Care Dietitians' Association (PCDA) was shared, suggesting this diet or perhaps more accurately lifestyle can help reduce your risk of inflammation and certain cancers. Additionally, it can have a positive impact on mental health, reduce the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s, improve blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol. It’s a win, win! So start today living and eating more like a Mediterranean! Make these positive lifestyle changes and reap the health benefits.

• Enjoy meals with family and friends

• Choose homemade, whole foods more often

• Limit processed foods

INCLUDE MORE FRUITS & VEGETABLES

• Include a variety of colourful vegetables and fruits on a daily basis

• Aim daily for a half plate of vegetables at lunch and supper

CHOOSE HEALTHY FATS

• Use olive oil as your key fat source - cook, bake, marinade and make salad dressings with it.

• Use butter, coconut oil and other saturated fats less often

• Include fish at least 2 times per week, especially fatty fish like salmon, trout, sardines and herring

• Include a small handful of unsalted nuts or a serving of natural nut butter each day

• Avoid processed meats like sausages, deli meats and bacon; limit red meat to 1-2 times per month

FOCUS ON FIBRE

• Aim for high fibre foods like vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes

• Choose whole grains like large flake oats or steel cut oats, barley, brown rice, quinoa

• Use legumes (beans/lentils/chickpeas) more often as meat alternatives

BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE EACH DAY

Walk, jog, cycle, swim, skip. Try to 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week

Include resistance activities at least 2 times per week. ie weight lifting, body weight activities etc.

Free Sugars

Watch out - they sneak up on you!

At the start of this month I baked with the Youth at MPYC In Erin. Preparing for the Rotary Bake Sale at our first Rotary Summerfest on 24th July. Cookies, squares, muffins, meringues … all sweet treats for a special occasion; to get together, as a community post covid, to have FUN and raise money for EWCS and other Rotary community projects.

Sweet treats, once in a while, are of course OK.

However, as a general rule, we should avoid eating too many FREE SUGARS. Sugars that are added to food and drinks which are calorie dense and low in nutritional value. They are not the sugars found naturally in fruit and vegetables.

For children, a diet high in free sugars and low in essential vitamins and minerals is particularly concerning, as this could impact their growth and development.

In addition, consuming too many foods high in free sugars increases the risk of tooth decay and might play a role in the development of type-2 diabetes and obesity.

According to the UK’s NHS, ‘adults and children over 11 years should consume no more than 30g of free sugars a day. ‘ That equates to about 7 cubes of sugar. THINK before you consume! A can of monster contains about 55g sugar (almost 14 cubes), a can of coke 35g (8 cubes). LOOK at food Labels to see sugar content per serving! CUT BACK on those cookies, cakes, ice cream and soft drinks. MODERATE your daily consumption of free sugars for a healthier diet.