Fabulous fibre

The fibre in JOYA® apples helps friendly gut bacteria thrive. Plus, it aids digestion, lowers cholesterol and helps to prevent heart disease. Good news, right? Read on.

Did you know that your body needs soluble and insoluble fibre, and that JOYA® apples are a good source of both these fabulous fibres?

Fibre is a type of carbohydrate that’s not digested or absorbed. It’s found mainly in plant foods and moves through the digestive system staying relatively intact.

Soluble fibre, found mostly in the flesh of apples, absorbs water; insoluble fibre, found both in the apple’s skin and flesh, does not. This means that these two types of fibre boost your health in slightly different ways.

Soluble fibre:

• Attracts water in the digestive system to form a gel-like mush. This helps to slow down digestion, making you feel fuller for longer, curbing overeating, and helping to keep your blood-sugar levels steady.
• Boosts the number of friendly bacteria in the gut, improving the health of your digestive and immune system.
• Lowers blood-cholesterol levels by blocking the absorption of cholesterol.
• Plays a role in preventing heart disease, diabetes and overweight.

Insoluble fibre:

• Is best known for its ability to prevent constipation, providing roughage or bulk in the diet.
• Both soluble and insoluble fibre also seem to protect against colon cancer.

Fibre facts

• While the word “dietary fibre” was only coined in the 1950s, the benefits of fibre-rich foods have been known since ancient times.
• Apples are best eaten with the skin – a rich source of insoluble fibre. A medium-sized, unpeeled apple contains about 4.4g of fibre.
• Without the skin, the apple provides only about 2g of fibre.
• Women need 25g of fibre a day, and men 38g. Most of us eat much less fibre than we should (only about 15g a day).
• Drink more water as you start boosting your fibre intake. Water helps the fibre to move through your digestive system and allows it to work its magic!

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