It's Fibre February!

We all need to increase the amount of fibre in our diet. This article provide ideas for ways in which you and your pupils can learn more about fibre, this Fibre February!

It's Fibre February!

In the UK, no age group is currently consuming the recommended amount of dietary fibre, and in the vast majority of each age group, intakes are well below daily recommendations. When you focus on school pupils, only 14% of 4-10 year olds and 4% of 11-18 year olds are eating the recommended amount of fibre – so there’s definitely room for improvement.   

Age Fibre per day (g)
2-3 years 15g
4-10 years 20g
11-18 years 25g
19+ years 30g

But why fibre?

Fibre is important for keeping the digestive system healthy, plus there’s an association between increased dietary fibre intake and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer and type 2 diabetes. Certain types of fibre can also provide additional, specific benefits, such as acting as a food source for ‘good’ bacteria. High-fibre foods provide a low amount of energy (calories) per gram, and they may be able to keep people feeling fuller for longer, reducing overall energy (calorie) intake.

Where’s the fibre?

Fibre is found in a range of foods, including fruit, vegetables, pulses (beans, lentils and peas), nuts and seeds, starchy food (such as potatoes) and grains. The Eatwell Guide recommends the consumption of potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrates, which should be the base of each meal. It’s also important to go for wholegrain or higher fibre versions of these foods as they provide more fibre than their counterparts, e.g. wholemeal v white.

In the UK, foods made from grains, such as bread and breakfast cereals, contribute the highest fibre intake (between 38-44%, depending on age), followed by vegetables and potatoes (21-32%). Fruit contributes between 6-16%.

What can be done?

We all need to increase the amount of fibre in our diet, and follow the recommendations given in the Eatwell Guide. As food educators, it’s our job to encourage this uptake by ensuring lessons focus on fibre, so that pupils understand the ‘why’, and are given opportunities to ‘apply’ their knowledge in practical, realistic ways, such as reviewing menus, modifying recipes and cooking higher fibre dishes.

Get involved!

Below are a number of ways in which you and your pupils can focus on fibre this February. There are a range of resources to support learning, as well as as a fibre challenge for older primary and secondary aged pupils.

Get started by taking a look at our Fibre February teachers' guide.

Try these fun fibre activities!

Take on the Fibre February challenge!

Most people in the UK are not having enough fibre in their diets. By making small changes to a recipe, such as swapping from white to wholemeal flour, the amount of fibre provided can be easily increased.

Download the Guide!

Set older primary and secondary aged pupils the following challenge...

"Increase the fibre provided by a recipe, meal or menu."

Think about ingredients that can be added or swapped to increase fibre, such as using wholemeal flour, seeds, fruit, vegetables, beans, peas and lentils.

Show your fibre creation by:

  • writing a recipe;
  • cooking and photographing the dish;
  • undertaking nutritional analysis (using our free tool, Explore Food) to compare the fibre content before and after;
  • producing an animation (or presentation);
  • creating a poster to show the fibre swaps/additions that you have made;
  • devising and recording an advert for your dish.

Remember to show how the fibre has been increased!

You can download a copy of the Fibre challenge here

Why not share the creativity of your pupils with us on X (Twitter)? @Foodafactoflife #FibreFebruary 

Top tips for increasing fibre intake

  • Base meals around starchy carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, potatoes and other grains, such as quinoa or couscous.
  • Use wholemeal flour instead of white in recipes. Wholemeal flour provides more fibre than white flour, although white flour does still provide some fibre.
  • Swap refined or ‘white’ carbohydrate sources (e.g. bread, cereals, pasta) for wholegrain varieties.
  • Consume a variety of fruit and vegetables and aim for at least 5 A DAY.
  • Try to include more pulses, nuts and seeds in dishes by adding to stews, curries and salads.
  • Start your day with a higher fibre breakfast, including foods such as wholegrain cereals topped with dried or fresh fruit, wholemeal bread or whole fresh fruit.

 

Fibre February resources

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Fibre February teachers' guide

A teacher's guide for the Fibre February resources.

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Fibre swaps poster

A poster looking at fibre.

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Fibre challenge

A worksheet with a fibre challenge for pupils to complete.

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Fibre facts cards

4 cards including need to know information about fibre!

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Fibre cards

A board game to teach about the amount of fibre in different food.

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Fibre race game rules

Rules for the Fibre race game.

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Fibre race game boards

A board game to teach about the amount of fibre in different food.

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Fibre race cards and counters

Cards and counters for the fibre race game.

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Find your fibre fortune instruction sheet

An instruction sheet to the 'find your fibre fortune' worksheet.

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Find your fibre fortune worksheet

A worksheet that looks at fibre.

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Store cupboard

A worksheet to support the 'find your fibre fortune' worksheet.

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Recipe modification (bread)

A worksheet that looks at recipe modification.

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Recipe modification (Fibre-boosted Bolognese)

A worksheet that looks at recipe modification.

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Recipe modification (Fibre-boosted lamb korma)

A worksheet that looks at recipe modification.

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Recipe modification (Fibre-boosted pizza)

A worksheet that looks at recipe modification.

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Case study 1: adults

A worksheet that looks at nutritional analysis.

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Case study 2: lactose intolerance

A worksheet that looks at nutritional analysis.

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Case study 3: children

A worksheet that looks at nutritional analysis.

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Case study information sheet

An information sheet to support the worksheets that look at nutritional analy...

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