In brief
The parts of plants your body cannot digest. Fibre helps keep the digestive system healthy, and different kinds help lower cholesterol and prevent constipation.
- healthdirect lists eating more soluble fibre among the ways to help lower cholesterol.
- Fibre is thought to lower bowel cancer risk by increasing stool bulk.
- Fibre helps maintain lower blood sugar levels.
How it works
Soluble fibre, found in fruit, vegetables, oat bran, barley, legumes and soy products, helps lower LDL cholesterol. Insoluble fibre, found in wheat bran, the skins of fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds and wholegrain foods, adds bulk to faeces and helps prevent constipation. Bacteria in the large bowel ferment resistant starch into short-chain fatty acids.
Better Health Channel lists 30 g of fibre a day for men and 25 g for women. Add fibre slowly, and drink enough water, because a high-fibre diet may not prevent constipation without it. A diet rich in fibre can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and is likely to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Food sources
- Wholegrains and oat bran
- Legumes such as beans and lentils
- Vegetables
- Fruit with skins
- Nuts and seeds
From the AskBioMap food guide:
Connections
5 connections on the map. Select a topic to read its page.
Dietary fibre (including prebiotics) can lower
Soluble fibre helps lower LDL cholesterol.
Sources: Better Health Channel (Victorian Government), Fibre in food; healthdirect Australia, Cholesterol
- Bowel cancer Supported
A diet low in fibre, fruit, vegetables and wholegrains and high in red and processed meats is a risk factor for bowel cancer.
Source: Better Health Channel (Victorian Government), Bowel cancer
Dietary fibre (including prebiotics) is needed for
Bacteria in the large bowel ferment resistant starch into short-chain fatty acids.
Source: Better Health Channel (Victorian Government), Fibre in food
Dietary fibre (including prebiotics) supports
- Gut microbiome Supported
Gut bacteria ferment fibre such as resistant starch into short-chain fatty acids.
Sources: Better Health Channel (Victorian Government), Fibre in food; Australian Academy of Science, Gut bacteria: the inside story
Dietary fibre (including prebiotics) can ease
Not eating enough fibre can cause constipation, and eating more high-fibre foods such as fruits and vegetables helps.
Sources
Each connection above names its own source. See every source AskBioMap uses.
Summarised from the Better Health Channel and healthdirect. Sources read on 13 and 16 October 2026. General education only, not medical advice. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us through the HuBu-Intel contact page.