Fibre 101: This Missing Ingredient For Optimal Health

The Village Apothecary
Feb 28
3 min read

Protein has taken centre stage for quite some time, especially on social media, where it feels like every other post is about increasing your intake.

Don't get us wrong, protein is important to overall health, but one of the most important nutrients for long-term health is often overlooked:

Fibre...and most of us aren't getting nearly enough!

How Much Fibre Do Adults Need

Most adults are dramatically under eating fibre. From diets rich in non-health promoting ultra-processed food to minimal intake of fruits and veggies, the average intake in around 15-18g per day.

Most adults need approximately:

Women: 25g per day
Men: 30–38g per day

That’s a pretty big gap.

Why Does Fibre Matter?

Getting enough fibre isn't just about bowel movements and "staying regular." Fibre supports:

Healthy digestion
Balanced blood sugar
Heart health
Hormone balance
Healthy cholesterol levels
Satiety (how full and satisified you feel)
Weight management
A thriving gut microbiome

Research consistently shows that higher fibre intake is associated with a reduced risk of conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers (like colorectal cancer which is seeing a sharp increase in rates for those under 55 years of age).

What Is Fibre?

Fibre is the part of plant foods that your body can’t fully digest. Instead of being broken down and absorbed, it travels through your digestive system, and that’s exactly what makes it so powerful.

There are two main types of fibre, soluble and insoluble.

What is soluble fibre?

Soluble fibre dissolves in water, and can help lower cholesterol, support healthy blood sugar and feed beneficial gut bacteria. Soluble fibre should make up at least 1/4 of your total daily fibre intake.

Examples of soluble fibre:

Oats and barley
Beans and lentils
Fruits (flesh of apples, citrus fruit, bananas, avocados)
Psyllium husk, flaxseed and chia seeds
Carrots, broccoli, Brussel sprouts

What is insoluble fibre?

Insoluble fibre adds bulk to stool, supports regular bowel movements and helps prevent constipation.

Examples of insoluble fibre:

Whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, whole-wheat bread and pasta)
Skins of fruits and vegetables (potatoes, apples)
Berries (higher in insoluble fibre than soluble fibre)
Nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds)
Leafy greens, dark green vegetables, cauliflower

Which one is more important? In the conversation around fibre there is no one-or-the-other. Both insoluble and soluble fibre essential and work synergistically together to support optimal health.

Increasing Your Fibre Intake

When looking to increase your daily fibre, it's important to increase your intake slowly. If you increase fibre too quickly, you may notice bloating, gas and cramping.

What do we recommend? Track your fibre intake for a week to get a rough sense of how much you're eating daily, and then increase slowly from there.

Fibre binds to water as well so don't forget to drink plenty of water when upping your fibre intake!

Fibre-Packed Products We Carry

Whether you're looking for a quick, nutritious fibre-packed breakfast on the go or supplements that support increase fibre intake, our health food store has a wide variety of fibre-rich products to support your health goals.

Personalized Advice And Fibre Planning

Did you know that we have 2 naturopathic doctors and a registered dietitian praciting out our location here in Millbrook, Ontario?

If you’re struggling with:

Chronic constipation
IBS symptoms
Blood sugar imbalances
High cholesterol
Hormone concerns

Working with one of our health care providers, can help you create a plan tailored to your body. Book a 10-min complimentary consultation to get started.