GUT HEALTH / Diet

Plant-based diet and fibres

There are many benefits to eating more plant-based food. For example, it is essential that we get enough plant fibres for us and our intestinal flora to feel good. In this article, we give tips and inspiration to why plant-based food is good and how to get enough fibre in your diet.

Dietary fibre & our intestinal flora

Dietary fibre is essential for our intestinal flora, as they are the most important food for the intestinal bacteria. If we don’t get fibre, our gut bacteria will disappear. And when these bacteria disappear, we risk increased inflammation in the body, followed by several chronic diseases. Eating a diet rich in dietary fibre also reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and cancer.

The benign bacteria in our intestinal flora are therefore dependent on a diet full of plant foods and fibre. But studies show that in the Western world we do not get enough fibre. On average we eat 15 grams a day. That can be compared to our ancestors who ate up to 1.5 kg of raw plants every day (which corresponds to about 150 gm of plant fibres).

In his research, Professor Stig Bengmark has written a lot about plant foods, dietary fibres and whether meat is good for us. In Stig’s articles on dietary advice, this quote is found: “It often happens that I am asked to summarize my health advice in one sentence. Then I usually answer: “replace the farmer’s products with the gardener’s”. In order for the good bacteria in your gut flora to feel good, Stig recommends eating at least 800 grams – 1 kg of plant food per day. And he recommends eating it raw and therefore not at all heat up. Frozen vegetables are also good as they are rich in antioxidants and fibre.

Some of the plant fibres that Stig specifically mentions as important are pectin, inulin, beta-glucans and resistant starch. All of which are found in the food supplement Synbiotic.

Dietary changes for more fibre

Plant-based foods are a good source of fibre and there are some direct swaps you can make that are also anti-inflammatory and good for your gut flora. By replacing simple ingredients in common dishes, for example, you can automatically get more fibre in your diet and several other health benefits.

Read our recipes for cold potato salad, overnight oats and vegan bolognese in 3 easy swaps for more fibre.

Fibre-rich food supplements

Dietary supplements are a good way to make sure you get enough dietary fibre if you have trouble keeping track of how much you need to get through food. Read more about Synbiotic and buy Synbiotic here.