High fibre

Fibre is the new magic word in nutrition, and with good reason. A menu high in dietary fibre is now believed to reduce the risk of diabetes, cancer of the bowel and possibly heart disease. It keeps the digestion healthy, combats weight gain and, because fibre will adsorb some chemicals, may also be a safety buffer against food toxins. And, of course, a fibre-rich diet automatically contains much unrefined food, with greater nutritional content, and is low in saturated fats.

Fibre is present in many foods, and is not, one substance but many; it includes all those parts of our food which cannot be broken down by our digestive enzymes, especially the cellulose of carbohydrates.