Always on trend, is our friend Fibre, that’s according to the 2020 Food & Health Survey from the International Food Information Council (IFIC), which states that fiber has the best reputation among healthy ingredients.

So why exactly is fibre our friend? And I mean not as just relief for constipation, as most people know it! ‘Humans have around 100 trillion gut microbes that produce a wide range of enzymes, chemicals, hormones and vitamins, Menni, C et. al’ Our diet has a major influence on the gut microbiome and as we sift through the mounting pieces of research, diets that are higher in dietary fibre have lots more added benefits.

Let’s delve deeper into some of these strong correlations- which simply means meaningful relationships between the intake of fibre and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Fibre-rich diets are associated with reduced incidences of stroke, heart disease and helps with successfully controlling diabetes mellitus. Another reason why we need to be ever so friendly with fibre is its successful link to lowering cancers of the intestines, especially colon cancer. Oh and not forgetting weight control, diets rich in fibre also helps with management of weight, since the higher the fibre content the greater satiety value, meaning you feel fuller for longer.

But is all fibre the same though? Interesting fact there are 2 types of fibre, insoluble fibres- these do not dissolve in water and adds bulk to your stool and soluble fibres, those that do dissolve in water and forms a gel in the intestine to bind and get rid of cholesterol. And, yes before you ask, we do need both types. Just visualize fibre as our household broom sweeping out all the unwanted waste from our bodies.

Okay so we’ve heard all the good benefits, so where can one find these fibre goodies. We don’t have search very far, in fact 4 out of 6 of our Caribbean 6 Food Groups contain a nice mix of these beneficial gems. Food groups such as Staples which includes grains, oats, corn, ground provision, as well as Legumes this is our peas, beans, nuts and seeds and not forgetting our colourful array of Fruits and Vegetables are all gold mines full of fibre rich content. Good news for those of us who enjoy the convenience of frozen veggies, fibre content is not affected so you can have the same benefits whether in a fresh or frozen state!

Looking for a recipe that packs a healthy fibre punch, try this meatless pattie. This versatile pattie can be used as a meat alternative for your burgers, added into a garden salad or as a side accompaniment to your favourite rice dish.

References

https://www.foodbeverageinsider.com/fiber/fiber-maintains-popularity-through-years

Menni, C., Jackson, M., Pallister, T. et al. Gut microbiome diversity and high-fibre intake are related to lower long-term weight gain. Int J Obes 41, 1099–1105 (2017).

Submitted by:
Alecia Surujlal
Registered Dietitian and Registered Nutritionist (Public Health)

Recipe: Bodi Pattie

• 2 cups frozen chopped bodi
• 1 medium potato, diced into small cubes
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1 ½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup oats
• 2 tbsp. chia seeds
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• Seasoning: 2 pimento peppers, 3 blades of shadon beni, 3 cloves garlic, ½ tsp. chilli pepper flakes, ½ tsp. paprika, ½ tsp. salt

Method

1. 1. Add 2 cups of water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil, add frozen bodi and let boil for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
   2. In a separate saucepan boil diced potatoes until tender. Strain and mash
   3. Squeeze excess water from bodi and add to mashed potato along with grated carrots, 1 cup of breadcrumbs, oats, chia seeds.
   4. Finely chop pimento, shadon beni and garlic- you can also give them a whiz in the food processor to save more time!
   5. Add all seasonings to mixture. Using your hands incorporate all ingredients, forming into patties.
   6. On a large platter sprinkle remaining breadcrumbs, coat pattie front and back.
   7. Add vegetable oil to skillet on medium heat. Place patties and cook on each side till golden brown.

   Recipe yields- 6 2-inch patties