Dietary fibre is an important part of a healthy and balanced diet, and it also helps support your gut health. You can find fibre naturally in plant-based foods such as vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and legumes.
In fact, healthy dietary fibres are also found in MATR.
At MATR, we work exclusively with organic vegetables that go through a natural fermentation process. During this process, the vegetables retain their dietary fibre content, meaning fibre remains an important part of MATR’s overall nutritional profile.
But what exactly is dietary fibre, why does your body need it, and which foods contain fibre?
In this article, we explore the role of dietary fibre in your diet, the foods that are naturally rich in fibre, and how fibre is an essential part of MATR
What is dietary fibre?
Dietary fibre is a type of carbohydrate found in plant-based foods. It can be found in foods such as grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Unlike other carbohydrates, dietary fibre is not broken down by the digestive enzymes in your small intestine.
Instead, it passes through your digestive system relatively unchanged and reaches your large intestine, where it plays an important role.
The two types of dietary fibre
You may not know it, but there are two different types of dietary fibre: soluble fibre and insoluble fibre.
Soluble fibre can absorb water and may hold up to 15 times its own weight. This means it forms a gel-like substance in the digestive system, which helps slow digestion and contributes to a feeling of fullness.
Insoluble fibre does not dissolve in water but can still absorb some liquid. These fibres help add bulk to your stool and support normal bowel movement by contributing to healthy digestion.
So where can you find soluble and insoluble fibre in your everyday diet?
Why does your body need fibre?
A high-fibre diet helps support your body and its natural functions. Below, we take a closer look at how dietary fibre contributes to your overall health.
Supports healthy digestion. Dietary fibres pass through the body without being fully digested. They help support normal bowel function, contribute to healthy digestion, and can help maintain regularity.
Supports heart health. A diet rich in fibre can help support cardiovascular health. Certain types of fibre can help reduce the absorption of cholesterol from food, which contributes to maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.
Helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels
Certain soluble fibres, such as beta-glucans found in oats and barley, form a gel-like substance in the intestine. This can bind bile acids and support the body’s natural regulation of cholesterol.
Supports long-term health
A fibre-rich diet supports a healthy gut environment and contributes to normal metabolic function. Including a variety of fibre sources in your diet is an important part of maintaining a balanced and nutritious lifestyle.
How much fibre should you eat per day?
Research shows that eating enough dietary fibre is an important part of a healthy diet. However, many people do not get enough fibre from their daily meals.
One reason is that many diets contain too little whole grains, vegetables, and other fibre-rich plant-based foods.
According to the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations, adults should aim for at least 3 grams of dietary fibre per 250 kcal consumed.
For most adults, this equals approximately 25-35 grams of fibre per day.
Children have different fibre needs, as their energy requirements and body size differ from adults. Therefore, recommendations for children are based on approximately 2 grams of fibre per 250 kcal.
Which foods are highest in fibre?
Many people associate fibre with wholegrain bread or oats, but there are many other fibre-rich foods that naturally contribute to your daily fibre intake.
Below are examples of foods commonly found in a balanced diet.
MATR’s approach is legumes as a natural source of fibre
At MATR, we use legumes such as split peas and lupins as some of our main sources of dietary fibre. As shown in the table above, both legumes are naturally rich in fibre.
Split peas and lupins provide both soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre absorbs water and contributes to a feeling of fullness, while insoluble fibre supports normal digestion by contributing to healthy bowel function.
Together, these two legumes make up 38% of MATR, which means our products provide 10.2 g of fibre per 100 g.
This is higher than what you typically find in many ultra-processed plant-based products, where some of the natural fibre from the original ingredients can be lost during processing.
At MATR, we take a different approach. Through fermentation, we preserve the natural qualities of our ingredients, allowing the fibre from the vegetables and legumes to remain part of the final product.
Want to include more dietary fibre in your meals? Explore our products or find inspiration for fibre-rich meals in our recipe universe.
Frequently asked questions
What should you eat to get enough fibre?
Eat a varied diet with plenty of legumes, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. At MATR, we use legumes such as split peas and lupins because they naturally provide dietary fibre.
How can I get 30 grams of fibre a day?
A fibre-rich day can be achieved by combining different fibre sources. For example, start with oats for breakfast, add vegetables to lunch, and include legumes as part of your main meals.
Which fibres are good for your gut?
A combination of soluble and insoluble fibre is beneficial for your gut. These fibres are naturally found in legumes, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds.
Are oats high in fibre?
Yes. Oats are a good source of dietary fibre and contain beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre that contributes to maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and supports digestion.
Are bananas high in fibre?
Bananas contain dietary fibre and can be part of a fibre-rich diet. However, legumes, whole grains, vegetables, nuts, and seeds generally provide higher amounts of fibre.
What happens if you do not eat enough fibre?
A diet low in fibre can affect normal digestion and make it harder to maintain regular bowel function. Fibre is therefore an important part of a balanced and varied diet.