Dietary fibre is found in cereals, fruits and vegetables. Fibre is made up of the indigestible parts or compounds of plants that pass relatively unchanged through our stomach and intestines. The main role of fibre is to keep the digestive system healthy. Other terms for dietary fibre include 'bulk' and 'roughage', which can be misleading, since some forms of fibre are water soluble and aren't bulky or rough at all.
There are broadly two categories of fibre and we need to eat both in our daily diets: Soluble fibre - includes pectins, gums and mucilage, which are found mainly in plant cells. One of its major roles is to lower blood cholesterol levels. Good sources of soluble fibre include fruits, vegetables, oatbran, barley, seed husks, flaxseed, psyllium, dried beans, lentils, peas, soymilk and soy products. Soluble fibre can also help with constipation. Insoluble fibre - includes cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin, which make up the structural parts of plant cell walls. A major role of insoluble fibre is to add bulk to faeces and prevent constipation and associated problems such as haemorrhoids. Good sources include wheat bran, corn bran, rice bran, the skins of fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, dried beans and wholegrain foods. Both types of fibre are beneficial to the body and most plant foods contain a mixture of both types.
