The score with Fibre: A indigestible non-essential carbohydrate

In order to deal with the claim that we must consume 30g of fibre a day, we need to examine briefly what fibre is and what the research says in terms of whether it harms or heels us.

Fibre is a non-digestible carbohydrate. So, let's clarify what carbohydrates are.

Carbohydrates come in 3 forms. There are single sugar carbohydrates namely glucose, fructose and galactose. Then there are two-sugar sugars i.e. a glucose and a fructose molecule stuck together to make sucrose i.e. table sugar, a glucose and a galactose molecule stuck together to make lactose i.e. milk or two glucose molecules stuck together to make maltose.

Finally, there are our digestible many-sugar molecules stuck together, which make up our starchy carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, grains, fruit and vegetables. Then there are our ingestible many sugars i.e. fibre.

Now, carbohydrates are a non-essential macronutrient i.e. something that is not essential to be in our diet. In nutrition terms an essential nutrient cannot be made in our body and so must be consumed in our diet. And a non-essential nutrient can indeed be made inside our body and so does not need to be consumed within our diet. By definition fibre therefore is a non-essential nutrient. Full stop, end of story.

However, can fibre be useful. The answer to that is yes, possibly. Soluble fibre in oats or Psyllium for example can be used by our gut bacteria. Although our gut biome as it's sometimes referred can use protein too, some soluble fibre in our diet might be reasonable. Insoluble fibre i.e. roughage cannot be used to feed the bacteria in our gut. And this is where there is controversy.

More recent research into patients suffering from gut problems including diverticulitis and Irritable Bowl Syndrome (IBS) are best helped by a low fibre diet. This lessons the scraping and friction in their intestines.

I remind you carbohydrate is a non-essential nutrient. So is fibre. But some fibre is likely OK. The best sources of fibre are vegetable sources aka real food. There's more than enough in veggies you consume with your meat, fish, eggs and dairy.

So, why are we told to consume more wholegrains and where did the figure of 30g a day come from?

There is no research to substantiate 30g. It's a made up figure. Wholegrains contain some vitamins and minerals, very little protein, not very much fat but are loaded with carbohydrates. They also contain the outside bran which makes them wholegrains. And food manufacturers are hanging onto this to sell more whole grains. And let's be honest what do people mean by whole grains?

It's all code for more bread, more pasta, more rice and more fake food, i.e. processed carbohydrates that come in a box, that come in a bag and that come with a barcode!

Consume some fibre if you want. Not wholegrains though, the fibre that is naturally found in fruit and vegetables. And, that's enough. We survived for thousands of years that way.

Diverticulitis, Irritable Bowl Syndrome (IBS) and gut problems are modern-day diseases caused by a modern-day diet aka refined carbohydrates.

Your gut biome will be just fine if and only if you reduce highly processed food so that it can best use the fibre in your fruits and vegetables. The biggest problem when it comes to people's guts are the refined foods they consume. Follow our plan and everything will line up just fine!

Darren