Myths and Facts: Why Fiber Isn’t Always the Answer for Constipation
The advantages of eating fibre

Most doctors will give the advice to eat plenty of fibre-rich foods, in order to keep our bowels healthy and regular. In fact, studies show that increasing our fibre intake, will increase the number of bowel movements we have a week.
Described as a “non-digestible plant-based carbohydrate”, fibre passes through our digestive tract, largely undigested. There are two types of fibre – soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre absorbs water to form a gel-like substance that helps the stools pass smoothly and comfortably. Insoluble fibre bulks up the stools, taking waste with it, helping to keep the bowels moving and faecal movements regular.
So, we don’t get any nutritional benefit from fibre per se, but it does benefit us by making our stools softer and easier to pass.
Well, that’s in theory, anyway…