So, is THIS the secret to a healthy diet?

Forget all about low-fat, low-carb, gluten-free or any sort of restrictive diets for that matter – you can improve your diet with a very simple element: more fibre.

We've all heard that porridge is a healthy breakfast; a study by scientists, based at the APC Microbiome Institute in Cork, confirmed the benefits of this Irish family favourite recently.

In fact, their research discovered that beta glucan – the fibre found in porridge – could actually help reduce cholesterol and even body weight. 

And previous research proved that porridge makes you feel full for longer, plays a key role in digestion, in reducing our risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.

Yet, we are not eating enough of it.

According to science, adults should aim to eat 30g of fibre each day to enjoy all these benefits – weight loss included.

However, a whooping 80 percent of Irish adults are not even reaching 25g a day, which is the European Food Safety Authority recommendation. 

So, how can you introduce more fibre into your diet? 

Introducing more fibre into our diet isn’t rocket science. Fibre is only found in foods that come from plants; meat, fish and dairy products don't contain the nutrient. So, to increase your intake, simply increase your consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals and legumes – all planted-based food, basically. 

What foods are really high in fibre ?

Beans, chickpeas and lentils are excellent sources of fibre and should regularly be on your menu, as well as whole grain or wholemeal bread, rice and pasta.

All vegetables and fruits contain fibre, especially cauliflower, broccoli, squash, apple, pears, berries and leafy greens. 

Another good reason to stick to your five-a-day, or even more…