Are You Getting Enough Fibre In Your Diet?

I recently took part in a campaign with Warburtons.  Kizzy and I kept a three day food diary to see if we were getting enough fibre in our diet.  With 90% of women not reaching their GDA of fibre and only 1% of adults being aware of the GDA for a child aged between 5 to 10 years old, fibre intake is a bit of a mystery to most of the population.

Warburtons hope to encourage mums to increase their fibre intake especially as many women are cutting down on the amount of carbs, such as bread, pasta and potatoes, they are eating for weightloss reasons.  By doing so, they are missing out on the important nutrients from this food group including fibre.

Fibre is found in wholegrain products such as wholemeal bread, cereals, fruit, pulses and vegetables.  As a vegetarian, we consume a lot of these foods so my fibre analysis showed that I was one of the 10% of women reaching their GDA of 24g a day! (Go me!!)  Kizzy's intake was also spot on achieving an intake of 15g of fibre a day.  I was very pleased to see these results and feel confident that I am providing a good diet for my family.

Dr Hilary Jones has some tips to help us increase our fibre intake:

Increase your fibre slowly
Your body needs to adjust to a change of fibre intake.  Add no more than 5g a day until you reach your GDA of 24g for an adult.

Drink more water
When you increase your fibre intake, increase the amount of water you drink too.

Eat the whole fruit and vegetable
The skin of fruit and vegetables contains fibre so make sure to eat your jacket potato skins!  Aim to eat whole fruits rather than just smoothies or juices.

Aim for 3 portions a day
Spread your fibre intake throughout the day across three meals.

Kids should eat fibre too
Fibre should be introduced to under 5s gradually through fresh fruit, veg and whole grains.  Children aged 5 - 10 should consume about 15g a day.

Taking simple steps such as switching to wholemeal bread and pasta, brown rice and wholegrain cereals helps increase your fibre intake.  Eating a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables is also good.  Including pulses such as beans and lentils is a good source of soluble fibre in the diet (and are really versatile and delicious too).

Warburtons have a great range of fibre rich bread products that will help you get your 24g of fibre to help keep you healthy!  The kids love the 50/50 bread for their toast.

Warburtons also have created the Fibre Provider hub on its Facebook page featuring tips, recipes and product information to help families reach their GDA's of fibre.

Fun With Food Art

Once upon a time, cereal was served in a bowl with milk...if you were really exotic, perhaps you'd slice a banana on top or add a dollop of yogurt.  Now however, we have Wholegrain Food Art brought to us by Nestle, in support of the Team Whole Grain initiative, which is encouraging busy families across Britain to be aware of the importance of wholegrain in their diets.

Using cereals from Nestle's delicious Whole Grain products, celebrities such as Zoe Ball, Matt Dawson and Greg Searle along with nutritionist Juliette Kellow have brought us some amazing recipes, showing us the Whole Grain can be added to the diet in a fun way!

How about this impressive looking bouquet of Nestle Cereal Flower Pops?  These crunchy flower lollipops are fun and simple to make and deliver 0.5 portions of whole grain per serving.  ( Recommended daily intake is 3 portions.)

Ingredients: Makes 12

200g dark chocolate

To decorate:

Chose a variety of different Nestlé cereals to make your own designs:

Shreddies, you can use a selection of Shreddies to add colour- Coco Shreddies, Frosted Shreddies, Honey Shreddies, Golden Nuggets, Nesquik, Cheerios, Honey Oats and More, Curiously Cinnamon

Glace cherries/ Strawberries

Method:

1) Break the dark chocolate into small pieces, and microwavable on medium in 20 seconds blasts, stirring every time, until melted, but not hot.

2) Using the teaspoon, make round pools of chocolate on the prepared baking sheet, and place the wooden skewers into the chocolate, at one end, twisting it to coat it and make secure.

3) While the chocolate is still set, press in your desired cereals to form petals and the flower centres; try to mix up the colours to make pretty coloured flowers.

4) Chill for 10 minutes, until set.

5) Peel the cereal flowers off the greaseproof paper.

6) Push the skewers into the melon to make a pretty centrepiece, or display the flowers by placing them into a glass. (You could fill the glass with pieces of fruit).

The children could let their imagination run riot decorating these flowers and will enjoy eating the end result!  It is a fun activity to do with the kids.

The Golden Nuggets Treasure Chest is a crispy and chewy cereal, nut, sultana and dark chocolate treasure chest decorated with whole grain cereal, cherries, nuts, and filled with fresh fruit treasure.  It would make an impressive centre piece for a party.

Ingredients (serves 24)

500g dark Chocolate (bars or buttons)

400g Sultanas

200g raisin oats & More

160g Shreddies, lightly crushed

180g Chopped almonds

180g Sliced Glace Cherries

750g Condensed Milk (2 cans) 

Decoration:

30g nesquik

30g Golden nuggets

100g dark Chocolate, melted (as glue)

(Cereal fish shapes see below)

Sea Bed: (Optional)

50g raisin oats & More

Method:

1. Break the chocolate into small pieces and place into a microwavable bowl. Melt the chocolate in the microwave on medium setting in 20 seconds blasts, stirring every time until melted, but do not get it hot. 

2. Dividing the melted chocolate into 3 portions, pour it into the prepared trays. 

3. Refrigerate until set.

4. Combine the sultanas, cereal, nuts, cherries and milk in a mixing bowl, and mix well. 

5. Remove 1 tray from the fridge and spread one third of the mixture evenly over the chocolate using the back of a spoon. repeat with other 2 trays. 

6. Bake in moderate oven for 15-20 minutes. 

7. Cool, refrigerate until set, and then remove from tins onto a chopping board. 

8. To assemble: Cut each slab in half across the shortest side, to make 6 pieces. Cut 1 of these in half, to make the sides of the chest. Using 5 of the pieces makes a lid, a front, a back, and a base all the same size, and 2 smaller side pieces. (6 in total)  Cut the remaining piece into fish shapes using a cutter, to decorate the background, or chest.

9. Place the base onto a board and using a line of melted chocolate join the back to the base, repeat until you have attached all 4 sides. You will have to be patient and hold them together until set!  Then refrigerate until really firm.

10. Using a teaspoon put a small amount of melted chocolate on to a Golden nugget and attach it to the box. repeat to make a pattern. Repeat using the nesquik. Add cereal fish if you wish. Leave to set firm.

11. Transfer to the serving dish or board and fill with the prepared fruits, and rest the lid on top. (you can fix this on at an angle with a little melted chocolate if you prefer) Surround with cereal seabed (and add fish shapes if not yet used). 

Seabed to Serve:

50g Curiously Cinnamon

30g Brown Sugar (for sand)

Filling:

Selection of fruit - (Photograph 

suggestion - red and black grapes, 

strawberries, raspberries)

Take a look at the Team Whole Grain site to find out more about including wholegrain in your family's diet.  Look out for the green banner on your favourite Nestle cereals, making them easy to spot  ...all Nestle cereals contain whole grain (unfortunately not all other cereals do.)

I am going to be making the Cheerio's Fluffy Sheep with the kids so watch out for the post...coming soon!