A Word from Dr. Kirby – Why Increasing Your Fibre Intake Can Add Years To Your Life

If you don’t make a point of eating lots of fibre, it’s time to start. According to a recent analysis of studies conducted over the past 40 years, doing so can add years to your life.

And the sweet spot, it seems, is about 30 grams of fibre each day.

The fact that fibre is good for you isn’t news. Previous studies have linked a higher fibre diet to protection from heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and certain cancers.

The new research, commissioned by the World Health Organization, combined 243 studies to analyze the impact of fibre intake on premature death and the risk of a diet-related diseases. It included 185 observational studies and 58 randomized controlled trials, the gold standard of scientific evidence. All in, 4,635 adults were enrolled in the studies.

The findings were published last month in the journal The Lancet and suggest high-fibre eaters have a 15- to 30-per-cent lower risk of heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer and cardiovascular-related death compared to people who eat much less fibre.

Study participants whose diets contained the most fibre also had significantly lower body weights, blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels.

The researchers found similar results for higher intakes of whole grains, an important source of dietary fibre.

How much fibre?

The Lancet analysis revealed that consuming 25 to 29 grams of fibre a day was protective, but the data suggested pushing past 30 grams could be even more beneficial. Canadians consume, on average, a meagre 14 grams of fibre each day, one-half of the amount needed to guard against chronic disease.

The research investigated naturally occurring fibre in whole foods, not isolated fibre added to foods or supplements.

Fibre-rich whole foods retain much of their structure in the gut, which helps promote satiety and weight control. Fibre in the gut also reduces the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream and slows the rise in blood sugar after eating.

Once in the colon, fibre is digested by gut bacteria. By keeping your gut microbes in a healthy balance, fibre is thought to have wideranging beneficial effects including protection from colorectal cancer.

How to get it:

To consume 30 g of fibre a day, you need to eat whole grains, vegetables and fruits every day.

Replace refined (white) grains with whole grain versions. Choose 100 per cent whole grain bread with 2 to 3 grams of fibre a slice. Look for breakfast cereal with at least 5 grams of fibre for every serving.