TODAY we will discuss the importance of fruits and vegetables; and the role they play in our health and wellbeing. You know that vitamins and minerals are required for good health and fibres are equally important. You would have often heard people saying that we should ‘eat fibre’ — but what fibre is, where and in what quantity should we have it?

The word fibre comes from a Latin word fibra, meaning, an elongated thread-like structure. Fibre is found in plants where they provide basic strength, toughness and support to the structure of a plant. Fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamins and minerals are also rich in fibre.

There are two kinds of fibres — soluble ones which can be dissolved in water and insoluble ones which cannot. Dietary fibre means, ‘Substances in the diets which are not digested in the stomach and intestine’.

Fibres are indigestible and consist of coarse plant matter of polysaccharides and oligosaccharides, such as cellulose, dextrin, inulin (don’t confuse it with insulin), lignin, chitin, pectin (jelly), glucan and waxes. Any one of these or some of these are always found in fruits and vegetables. Fibre helps push the diet easily through our digestive system, absorbing water along the way and easing bowel movement.

Soluble fibre changes as it goes through the digestive tract and, fermented by bacteria, it becomes gelatinous which prevents constipation. It also helps to speed up the excretion of waste and toxins from the body, preventing them from sticking on the walls of intestine or bowel for too long, which can cause constipation, piles, etc.

As for insoluble fibre, it passes through the body unchanged along with the excreta of digested food until they arrive at the large intestine. It promotes the growth of those bacteria which help the waste matter become soft, gelatinous and bulky which in turn helps to pass through the intestine quickly to the bowel and out of the body. It also prevents constipation and promotes regular bowel movement.

Sources of soluble and insoluble fibres • Leafy vegetables, root vegetables such as unpeeled potato; • Unpeeled fruits such as apple and guava; • Whole meat products; • Nuts, seeds of melon, water melon and pumpkin; • Cereal, barley, oatmeal; • Brown rice, lentils, peas, beans, etc.; • All fruits and vegetables of every season.

Following is the list of source and quantity of fibre content in fresh and dry fruits, vegetables, etc. Only those fruits and vegetables that are commonly eaten in Pakistan are included. It would help you to choose one of your favourite foods to avoid any health complications as for optimum health about 60-80 gram of fibre is required per day. Eating high fibre food can help you reduce the risk of constipation and piles, as well as high cholesterol, high blood sugar, obesity, colorectal-cancer, diabetes and heart diseases. In case constipation persists even after taking these foods consult your doctor.

Fruits: Apple with skin 5.00 gm fibre/gm, apricot (dried) gm fibre/gm, banana 3.92 gm fibre/gm, figs (dried) 3.74 gm fibre/gm, grapefruit 12.00 gm fibre/gm, orange 3.40 gm fibre/gm, peach 2.00 gm fibre/gm, Pear 5.00 gm fibre/gm, plum 1.00 gm fibre/gm.

Vegetables: Beet (cooked) 2.85 gm fibre/gm, cabbage 4.20 gm fibre/gm, carrot 2.00 gm fibre/gm, cauliflower 3.43 gm fibre/gm, corn sweet 4.66 gm fibre/gm, beans 3.95 gm/gm, onions 2.88 gm fibre/gm, peas (cooked) 8.84 gm fibre/gm, popcorn 3.60 gm fibre/gm, potato with skin 4.80 , spinach 4.32 gm fibre/gm, tomato 1.00 gm fibre/gm, rice (brown) 7.98 gm fibre/gm.

Peas, nuts, seeds and beans: Almond 6.6 gm fibre/gm, bran cereal 1 cup 19.94 gm fibre/gm, bread wheat 1 slice 2.00 gm fibre/gm, peanut 28 gram 2.30, pistachio 28 gram 3.10 gm fibre/gm, pumpkin 28 gram 4.12 gm fibre/gm, soybean 28 gram 7.62 gm fibre/gm, walnut 28 gram 3.08 gm fibre/gm.