How Can Fibre Help Reduce Bloating and Stomach Pain?

Soluble fibre absorbs water to form a gel-like substance that helps slow digestion and keeps us feeling fuller for longer.

Insoluble fibre does not dissolve in water but instead passes through your digestive system relatively unchanged.

It helps add bulk to stool which aids in regular, healthy bowel movements. Both types of dietary fibre play an important role in keeping our digestive systems healthy. It is not a case of fibre vs fibre and which one might be more superior.

Soluble Fibre:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Legumes
• Oats
• Seeds - chia seeds, flax seeds

Insoluble Fibre:

• Bran
• Skins of fruits and vegetables
• Whole grain foods

So why do we need fibre? Consuming enough dietary fibre has numerous benefits for physical health, including helping to reduce bloating and stomach pain. High-fibre foods for gut health help to maintain a healthy population of beneficial bacteria, which inhibits inflammation throughout the body.

Regulating digestion and supporting healthy bowel movements helps reduce strain on the digestive system, particularly beneficial for those who experience ongoing digestive discomfort.

Eating high-fibre diets is associated with supporting healthy cholesterol levels and overall cardiovascular health. Soluble fibre in particular can help carry cholesterol out of the digestive system rather than allowing it to recirculate.

Nifty, huh?

The main function of our digestive system is to break down food into small molecules to be absorbed and utilised by the body. Waste products, like undigested food material such as indigestible fibre, are eliminated via the faeces. Fibre is vital to facilitate the passage of nutrients through the digestive system for the body to utilise while helping to reduce gas, bloating, and abdominal pain.

• Reduces inflammation: A diet high in fibre can reduce inflammation throughout the body by balancing gut bacteria levels. This is because fibre helps to nourish the good kind of gut bacteria.
• Lowers cholesterol levels: Fibre is a natural body cleanser. A soluble high-fibre diet, in particular, has been associated with cholesterol control by reducing Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), the bad kind of cholesterol.
• Prevents constipation: Constipation is a common cause of bloating and abdominal pain. Eating a high-fibre diet can help prevent constipation by adding bulk to stools, making them easier to pass.
• Supports stable blood sugar levels: Fibre helps slow the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream, which may assist in reducing cravings for high-sugar foods, helpful for maintaining your weight loss goals post-surgery.
• Improves weight loss goals: While fibre alone will not result in rapid weight loss, the source can help. Hitting your daily fibre intake can prolong feelings of fullness, resulting in less snacking or giving in to cravings.
• Supports healthy elimination: Adequate fibre intake supports the body's natural elimination processes, which is particularly relevant during periods of rapid weight loss such as after Bariatric Surgery.
• Supports the body's natural elimination processes: Fibre helps carry waste material through the digestive tract efficiently, supporting the liver and digestive system as part of healthy daily function.

Some good sources of fibre and foods that help with bloating include:

• Fruits such as figs, apples, pears, oranges, blueberries, and raspberries
• Vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, artichokes, and sweet potatoes
• Whole wheat breads and pastas
• Brown rice
• Oats, quinoa, barley, rye
• Nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, chia, sunflower seeds, and flaxseeds
• Legumes such as lentils, black beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans
• Supplements such as ground flaxseed or psyllium husk.

Simple ways to increase your daily fibre consumption include:

• Add barley, wheat, or oats to your breakfast meals.
• Use wholemeal or multigrain bread and brown rice instead.
• Include an additional veggie in your meals.
• Snack on fresh or dried fruit, nuts, or wholegrain crackers.
• Include a fibre supplement.

Many, if not most, adults need to consume more fibre, and it is recommended that an average person needs to consume 25-40 grams of fibre daily. For context, one avocado contains about 10g of fibre.

If you do not consume enough fibre in your diet, it can lead to:

• Constipation
• Bloating
• Blood sugar spikes
• Cravings and hunger (the dreaded hanger!)
• Weight gain
• High cholesterol or blood pressure

As you increase your fibre consumption, you should also increase your hydration levels; otherwise, to put it bluntly, things might get a little stuck. Increasing fibre and water helps move food through the digestive tract more effectively and prevents gas from building up in the intestines, which causes bloating.

Remember that increasing fibre too quickly all at once may lead to further bloating due to increased gas production, so it's best done gradually over time.