Why does fibre matter?
Fibre is an important part of a healthy diet. It helps keep our digestive system working well and supports a healthy gut. The good news is that fibre is found in lots of everyday foods, including vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils and wholegrains.
Where do you even start? We’ve asked our experts to help. BBC’s and Cambridge University’s Professor Giles Yeo makes the science easy. Registered Nutritionists and Sunday Times bestsellers Rhiannon Lambert and Charlotte Stirling-Reed explain how we get more fibre and Lauren Leyva, home cook and presenter shows how easy it is to add more fibre to the food we already enjoy.
What is fibre and why do we need it?
Fibre is the part of plant foods that our bodies don’t fully digest. It helps food move through our digestive system and plays an important role in keeping our gut healthy. If you are a newbie to fibre, start here with our All About Fibre video.
How does fibre fit into a healthy diet?
Fibre is found in a wide range of plant foods, so eating plenty of vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils and wholegrains is a simple way to get more fibre into family meals. Rhiannon Lambert explains why fibre is important and how it fits into our diets.
What does fibre do for your gut?
Fibre helps keep our digestive system moving and provides food for the helpful bacteria living in our gut. Different types of fibre can support our gut in different ways. Prof. Giles Yeo breaks it down.
What is fibre fresh snacking?
Snacking is the perfect opportunity to get some extra fibre. It’s a double win as your child can get one of their five-a-day and their fibre all in one handy snack. Registered nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed explains.
3 easy ways to get more fibre into your family’s day
Key fact: Children need 20g of fibre every day and adults need 30g. That might sound like a lot, so build up slow with these simple steps.
Making your meals go further
Adding beans and extra vegetables to dishes your family already loves is an easy way to boost fibre without reinventing your mealtimes.
Lauren Leyva shares her tips on how to make your family favourite meals go further.
Choose beans at school lunch
When there’s a bean-based option on the menu, choosing it can be a simple way for children to get more fibre at lunchtime.
These might be vegetarian dishes, or dishes such as a chicken curry or spag bol with beans blended in for more fibre.
Try fibre fresh snacks
Make sure at least one of your child’s daily snacks is a fibre fresh snack such as an apple or carrots. Attack the Snack with Charlotte Stirling-Reed and the Shaun the Sheep lunchbox planner helps you balance the snacks your kids already love with the nutritious add-ons.
While fibre is a fantastic nutrient, if you go from eating low to high levels quickly, it may cause some bloating or discomfort. Add new fibre sources in slowly rather than all at once! Why not start with one meal at time, with 7g per meal for children and 10g for adults.
Episode 1: Family Favourites
Want to make family meals healthier without making them more complicated, or any less tasty? In Episode 1 of our podcast series with Netmums, host Louise Burke is joined by nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert, who explains why fibre matters so much for growing children. Creator and cook Lauren Leyva then shows how small tweaks, like adding beans, can boost the meals your family already loves.
Episode 2: Snacking
Why do children stick to the same snacks, and how can parents add more fibre without the battles? In Episode 2, Louise Burke is joined by dietitian Nichola Ludlam-Raine and child eating behaviour expert Dr Clare Holley from Loughborough University, with simple ideas for making snack time a little easier.
Episode 3: School Food
What’s really on the school menu, and how can parents help it work harder for our children? In Episode 3, Louise Burke is joined by registered nutritionist Sophie Gastman, Caterlink’s Megan Waring on what’s changing in school food in England, and Catherine Lippe from Nursery Kitchen with practical ideas for fibre-rich lunchboxes.
Looking for more fibre, try these recipes
Delicious, family-friendly recipes packed with fibre, from some of our brilliant ambassadors.
Look out for new recipes on our Instagram
For exclusive new content