This is why fiber is so important

The Netherlands is the country where we have lunch with a 'bammetje' and in the evening eat an 'AGV-tje', or potatoes, vegetables and meat. You would say that this would easily get us the recommended daily amount of fiber. But nothing could be further from the truth.. The Dutch eat too little dietary fiber while these are essential for, among other things, proper functioning of the digestive system ¹ . Time to take a closer look at this special category of macronutrients.

Dietary fibers, or fibers, are carbohydrates. Fiber provides energy to our body in the form of kilocalories, or 'kcal'. One gram of fiber provides only 2 kcal and therefore has a significantly lower kcal value than other macronutrients ² . They also have many positive effects on our health. For example, they ensure a well-functioning digestive system ² . Fibers are great at absorbing moisture and keeping the mass in our intestines flexible, so that bowel movements go well. Sufficient fluid intake is very important here ² . In addition, fibers give a long-lasting feeling of satiety, so that you feel hungry for longer ² . A large study commissioned by the WHO found that the intake of foods high in fiber is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and colon cancer ² .

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) has been established for all nutrients by the Health Council and provides a recommendation for the amount of nutrients in a healthy diet ² . The RDA for dietary fiber is 30 to 40 grams per day. According to the VCP (food consumption survey), the intake of the average Dutch person is only about 20 grams ³ . It is high time to change this, but how? 

The main sources of fiber are wholemeal products, vegetables, fruit, legumes, potatoes and nuts ² . For example, 4 wholemeal sandwiches, 1 apple and a handful of nuts together contain almost 14 grams of fiber. If you add a portion of lentils (12.8 grams of fiber) and a portion of vegetables (10.6 grams of fiber) in the evening, you already get more than 37 grams of dietary fiber. So squeaked!

Small adjustments in your diet can already ensure that you get more dietary fiber in one day ² . By consuming enough fruit (200 grams per day), vegetables (250 grams per day), legumes (once a week) and nuts (25 grams per day), you will quickly get enough fiber ² . Do you often opt for white bread, white pasta or white rice? Try replacing it with wholemeal pasta and, for example, brown rice ² . Because of this 'eating switch' you get a lot more fiber, you feel full faster and these variants often have a lot more taste!

Did you know that our Veggie Oats are also full of fiber? They can all carry the protected term 'source of fiber'? If you want to make it easy for yourself, you can of course also just put a bowl of Veggie Oats on the menu ;) ³

Sources :

1. Fiber intake . (nd). Food Consumption Survey.
2. Nutrition Center. (nd-h). Fiber .
3. Nutrition Center. (nd). Nutritional Claims . Accessed May 26, 2021.
4. Fiber consumption guideline - How much fiber should I consume per day? (nd). Bread.net.