The Five-to-One Fibre Rule | IMPACT Magazine (2024)

The Five-to-One Fibre Rule | IMPACT Magazine (1)

Meet the daily requirements and, ahem, keep you regular

Most people think constipation when they think fibre. And it’s true. Dr. Michael Greger, an acclaimed international speaker who specializes in clinical nutrition, says if most Americans ate just the minimum recommended daily intake of fibre-containing foods, it would add up to $80 billion in savings from the effects of coping with constipation alone. But getting enough fibre in your diet is important for other reasons, too. Accumulating evidence indicates that greater dietary fibre intakes reduce risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, weight gain, obesity, and diverticular disease.

We know whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes are fibre-rich foods. As fibre intake goes up, the risk of metabolic syndrome appears to go down, with less inflammation and an apparent step-wise drop in obesity risk. It’s therefore no surprise that greater dietary fibre intake is associated with a lower risk of heart disease: There is a 9 percent lower risk for every additional 7 grams a day of total fibre consumed, which is just some rice and beans or a few servings of fruits and veggies.

Here’s how the 5:1 rule works. Simply look at the ratio of grams of carbohydrates to grams of dietary fibre. Divide the carbohydrates by the dietary fibre. You want a 5:1 ratio or less.

For example, Multi-Grain Cheerios sound healthy but have a ratio over 7. However, Nature’s Path Granola is a better option. When you take its 15 g of carbs and divide it by its 4 g of fibre, the ratio equals 3.75.

The Five-to-One Fibre Rule | IMPACT Magazine (2)IMPACT Magazine’s November Edition

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Read this story in our November 2020 Digital Edition.

The Five-to-One Fibre Rule | IMPACT Magazine (2024)

FAQs

The Five-to-One Fibre Rule | IMPACT Magazine? ›

Simply look at the ratio of grams of carbohydrates to grams of dietary fibre. Divide the carbohydrates by the dietary fibre. You want a 5:1 ratio or less. For example, Multi-Grain Cheerios sound healthy but have a ratio over 7.

What is the 5 to 1 fiber rule? ›

A second strategy is to look at the ratio of grams of carbohydrates to grams of dietary fiber. We're looking for about 5 to 1 or less. For example, whole-wheat Wonder Bread passes the first test: The first word in its ingredients list is “whole.” However, it then includes corn syrup and the contents of a chemistry set.

What is the best carb to fiber ratio for bread? ›

be at least one gram of fiber. Why 10:1? That's about the ratio of fiber to carbohydrate in a genuine whole grain—unprocessed wheat. This recommendation comes from a new report from the Harvard School of Public Health published online in the journal Public Health Nutrition.

What is the best carb to fiber ratio for grains? ›

As one potential metric, the American Heart Association (AHA) has recommended choosing carb-rich foods with at least 1 g of fiber for every 10 g of total carbohydrate (carb:fiber ratio <10:1), based on the ratio of carbohydrate-to-fiber in whole wheat [9, 10].

Do you subtract fiber from carbs for diabetes? ›

Fiber does not affect your blood sugar levels.

But because fiber is a type of carbohydrate that your body can't digest, it does not affect your blood sugar levels. You should subtract the grams of fiber from the total carbohydrate.

What bread does Dr. Greger recommend? ›

Dr. Greger Thinks Pumpernickel Is the Healthiest Type of Bread - Michael Greger, M.D. - PodClips.

Does fiber really cancel out carbs? ›

This essentially means that fiber doesn't cancel out carbohydrates, but does help your body process them.

What bread is lowest in fiber? ›

Low-fiber bread, cereals, and grains
  • White breads, waffles, French toast, plain white rolls, or white bread toast.
  • Pretzels.
  • Plain pasta or noodles.
  • White rice.
  • Crackers, zwieback, melba, and matzoh (no cracked wheat or whole grains)
  • Cereals without whole grains, added fiber, seeds, raisins, or other dried fruit.
Feb 26, 2024

What food has more fiber than carbs? ›

There are many high-fiber, low-carb foods, but these are some of the best because most contain protein, vitamins, and minerals:
  • Blackberries. ...
  • Raspberries. ...
  • Avocados. ...
  • Lentils. ...
  • Refried beans. ...
  • Tofu. ...
  • Almonds. ...
  • Chia seeds.
Sep 27, 2022

Which type of bread has the most fiber? ›

Bread made from 100% whole grains has the most fiber content when compared to other bread types. This can include rye bread, sourdough bread, sprouted grain bread, and multigrain bread so long as the bread is made entirely from whole grains.

How to get 30g of fibre a day on low carb diet? ›

Fibre & low-carb dieting
  1. Broccoli. Probably one of the most flavoursome green vegetables around and also one of the best ones for you. ...
  2. Nuts. You can top up your fibre by snacking, and a quick handful of nuts is a superb way of doing this. ...
  3. Cabbage. ...
  4. Leafy Greens. ...
  5. Avocado.

Does adding psyllium husk reduce net carbs? ›

Psyllium husk contains the type of soluble fiber that absorbs water to form a gel. 50 grams of psyllium husk powder has around 5.5 grams of net carbs, making it keto-friendly.

Does adding fiber reduce net carbs? ›

Summary: Whole foods contain fiber, which can be subtracted when calculating net carbs. Formula: total carbs – fiber = net carbs.

Is zero net carbs really no carbs? ›

Because fiber isn't digested, under the “net carbs” approach it can be subtracted from the total carb count in a food. Occasionally, you can even find a food with zero net carbs. This means the fiber content “cancels out” all the other carbs.

How many carbs can a type 2 diabetic have a day? ›

A more moderate carb diet may provide 130–220 grams of carbs per day, or 26–44% of calories in a 2,000-calorie diet ( 24 ). A few studies examining such diets have reported good results in people with diabetes (25, 26).

How many carbs should a prediabetic eat daily? ›

Here are some common numbers for the recommended carb intake for prediabetics per day. As you can see, they vary quite a bit! Under 20 to 50 grams of carbohydrates per day: very low-carb ketogenic diet. 130 grams: "Adequate Intake" (the amount considered adequate for most people).

How many grams of fiber per day for healthy bowel movements? ›

Eat more fiber to relieve constipation.

For chronic constipation, consider consulting with a dietitian who can help you create a more fiber-rich, long-term eating plan. A typical approach works up to 25–30 grams of fiber a day for women and 30–38 grams for men.

What is the best ratio of fiber to sugar? ›

Remarkably, a good whole food, low glycemic load diet has about a 1:1 sugar to fiber ratio. The current U.S. average is about 12:1. This is the result of both adding sugar to just about all manufactured foods and the removal of fiber during processing.

How much fiber is too much fiber in one sitting? ›

Dietary guidelines suggest a person should eat around 14 grams (g) of fiber for every 1,000 calories they consume. Eating more than this may lead to side effects, including gastrointestinal discomfort. Eating too much fiber may be more likely in a person following a vegan, whole food, or raw diet.

What are the golden rules of high-fiber diet? ›

Add fiber to your diet slowly. The bacteria in your stomach and small intestines need time to catch up. Adding too much fiber or adding fiber too quickly may cause gas, bloating, cramps and diarrhea. We recommend adding 5 grams of fiber to your diet every day at 2 week intervals.

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