Fibre
Bread is our most important source of fibre in the diet and provides a quarter
of our daily intake.
Fibre is not a nutrient; it is not digested. It is essential because it helps
the efficient elimination of waste from our bodies.
Medical reports and nutrition experts stress the importance of fibre in the
diet, particularly cereal fibre. Ensuring we get enough fibre helps prevent
conditions such as constipation and other bowel disorders. Eating more
carbohydrate-rich starchy foods such as bread, potatoes and rice may also help reduce
coronary heart disease.
The current average consumption of bread is less than four medium slices a day.
Medical experts recommend that we increase consumption by 50%. Dr. Roger
Whitehead, Chairman of the COMA Panel on Dietary Reference Values says "if
everyone reduced fat and sugar intake as recommended, and compensated by eating an
additional two large slices of bread a day, it would have a dramatic impact on
the nation's health".*
Wholemeal and brown breads contain more fibre than plain white bread. Six
slices of wholemeal bread would provide more than 70% of the average fibre
requirement for adults; brown bread would provide around 50% and white bread 20%.
70% of the bread we eat is white. For all those who prefer white bread but want
more fibre, there are varieties such as softgrain white which provide more
fibre than a plain white loaf. The label will tell you which are the high fibre
varieties.
A high fibre diet is not suitable for young children.
The most widely accepted method of measuring fibre is called the AOAC method.
However, some companies continue to use the 'Englyst' method of measurement. The
different methods have slightly different definitions of what should be
included as fibre.
Typical dietary fibre content of bread, including resistant starch** per 100g
AOAC/Englyst White 2.7g/ 2.3g Brown 4.5g/4.3g Wholemeal 7.2g/ 6.5g
A medium slice of bread weighs approximately 38g.
*The Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy (COMA) Report on Dietary
Reference Values (August 1991) recommended that there should be a 50% increase in
the intake of dietary fibre.
**Dietary fibre is defined as “non-starch polysaccharides”. Processed cereal
products also contain resistant starch which is not digested and has the same
function in the body as non-starch polysaccharides.