Roughage & ready

For decades, we’ve been told to ‘eat more fibre’. But what exactly is fibre, and is it really essential for optimal health? Dietary fibre is found mainly in whole fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and legumes, and is probably best known for its ability to prevent or relieve constipation (and that in itself is good enough reason to eat it) – but that’s not all it can do. Eating fibre-rich foods is said to assist in weight loss as well as lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease and even certain types of cancer.

Also known as roughage, dietary fibre includes the parts of plant-based foods that the body is unable to digest