5 fibre-rich foods for good health

This is how Wikipedia defines a dietary fibre in the following way:

Dietary fiber, dietary fibre, or sometimes roughage is the indigestible portion of plant foods having two main components:

• Soluble (prebiotic, viscous) fibre that is readily fermented in the colon into gases and physiologically active byproducts, and
• Insoluble fibre that is metabolically inert, absorbing water as it moves through the digestive system, easing defecation.

Living on a diet rich in fibre can help you reap rich rewards. It reduces cholesterol, regulates blood sugar, cancers and obesity, checks constipation, colitis and colon cancer and even haemorrhoids. An adult's recommended daily intake of fibre is 25-30gm.

We tell you about the top 5 high fibre foods below:

Flaxseed: In addition to both soluble and insoluble fibre, flaxseed are rich in omega-3 fatty acids as well as cencer-preventing agents called lignans. You can sprinkle ground flaxseed on yogurt, salads or cereals to add a get some flavour while consuming them.

Whole Grain/Bran: Cut down on maida and add more and more whole grain items into your diet. Use whole wheat flour, exchange your regular pasta with whole wheat (which contains 6.2 gm of fibre per cup of serving). Oatmeal and corn bran are also two good fibre-rich foods. It contains 12 gm of fibres while 30 gm of corn bran has 22 gm of fibre.

Nuts: Pistachio, almonds and walnuts have been known as great sources of protein. Little do the people know that they are also excellent sources of fibre. Raisins are oozing with both soluble and insoluble fibres. About 5 gm of raisins each day can prove to be extremely beneficial for your health.

Greens: Not only are green leafy vegetables great sources of iron and beta-carotene, they are also full of fibrous content. Just a small cup of cooked greens such as spinach, turnip greens, and beet greens has 4-5 gm of fibre on offer. A medium size pear can give you at least 5 gm of of fibre and a large apple has 3.3 gm of fibre in it.

Legumes/Beans/Lentils: Beans have some of the highest amount of fibre that is available in foods. One cup of black beans or kidney beans can have as much as 15 gm of fibre or even more! With more than 15 gm per single cup of serving, lentils are second only to split peas when it comes to fibre content in vegetable sources.