How a night in with a movie could improve your health

People not getting enough fibre has hit the health headlines in the past few days after the World Health Organisation revealed that according to its evidence 90 percent of us are not getting enough of the heart-healthy fibre from food that we need.
Popcorn. ENGEMN00120120326171907Popcorn. ENGEMN00120120326171907
Popcorn. ENGEMN00120120326171907

The recommended daily fibre intake is a minimum of 25g of fibre per day but experts call this an “adequate” amount for improving health and say there are benefits for pushing past 30g.

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In the UK, fewer than one in 10 adults eats 30g of fibre daily.

On average, women consume about 17g, and men 21g, a day.

The NHS says there is strong evidence that eating plenty of fibre (commonly referred to as roughage) is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer. Choosing foods with fibre also makes us feel fuller, while a diet rich in fibre can help digestion prevent constipation and lower blood cholesterol.

Fibre rich foods include wholegrains, brown rice, bran and oatmeal, which are not always high on the list of foods people enjoy eating.

But a quiet night in watching a movie with a bowl of popcorn could also be beneficial as popcorn is surprisingly high in fibre.

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Other fibre rich foods to look out for include nuts, baked potatoes with their skin on, beans and fruit and berries.