roughing it

8 out of 10 people don't get enough fibre. Which is rather a lot, especially when you consider that fibre is an essential part of a healthy diet and we're all supposed to be getting 24g a day. Since most of us are getting less than 3 portions of fruit and veg a day though, it's no wonder that so many of us are missing out on this wonderstuff.

Fibre is only found in the cell walls of plants, so you can only get it by eating fruit, vegetables, grains, cereals, beans and lentils. As well as helping you feel nice and full, a diet rich in fibre also has many health benefits. Insoluble fibre (the stuff you can't digest) helps reduce the risk of bowel problems - like constipation, haemorrhoids (piles) and colon cancer. Soluble fibre helps to stabilise blood sugar levels by slowing down the rate at which glucose is absorbed into the blood stream. This means energy gets released slowly throughout the day instead of all at once, meaning you feel less tired. And above all, fibre helps keep you, er, regular. All the more reason to indulge in shedloads of this wonderful stuff.