Women's Health Week: Fibre - The Everyday Habit That Delivers Big Benefits

Women’s Health Week is the perfect moment to check in, tune up, and say “yes” to simple, every day habits that deliver compounding benefits. At Elevate Food Co., our north star is real food that offers real benefit - and dietary fibre is one of the most powerful daily levers for women’s gut, heart, and long-term health.

The Role of Fibre in Women’s Health

Dietary fibre is a type of carbohydrate that isn’t fully digested in the small intestine, instead it travels to the large bowel where it is broken down by gut bacteria through fermentation. This process produces short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate, which have beneficial effects on colonic health, immune regulation, and systemic metabolism [1].

For women, adequate fibre intake is particularly important across the lifespan:

• Gut and digestive health: Fibre regulates bowel function and supports microbiome diversity [1].
• Cardiovascular health: Wholegrains and fibre-rich foods are associated with lower cholesterol levels and reduced cardiovascular disease risk [2].
• Blood glucose control and satiety: Fibre improves glycaemic regulation and supports appetite control, factors that are especially important during mid-life metabolic transitions [3].
• Hormonal balance: Certain fibres can aid in the excretion of excess oestrogen, supporting reproductive and post-menopausal health [4].

Recommended Fibre Intake in Australia

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) sets the Adequate Intake (AI) of dietary fibre for adult women at 25 g/day, with a Suggested Dietary Target (SDT) of 28 g/day to reduce chronic disease risk [5].

However, national nutrition survey data indicate that more than 80% of Australians fail to meet the SDT, with average daily intakes closer to 20 g/day for women [6]. This persistent shortfall contributes to increased risk of bowel disorders, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.

Australian Research on Fibre Quality

It is not only the quantity but also the type of fibre that is critical:

• Soluble fibre (from foods such as oats, legumes, and barley) lowers blood cholesterol and assists in glycaemic control [2].
• Insoluble fibre (from wholegrain breads, cereals, nuts, and seeds) promotes bowel regularity and supports long-term digestive health [1].
• Resistant starch (from foods such as BARLEYMAX® Super Barley, lentils, and cooled cooked potatoes) plays a unique role in colonic health. CSIRO-led research on BARLEYMAX® Super Barley demonstrated that resistant starch can increase butyrate production, reduce colonic pH, and support biomarkers associated with bowel health [7].

Fibre Across the Female Lifespan

• Young adulthood (20s–30s): Fibre intake supports gut microbiome development and immune health.
• Mid-life (40s): Adequate fibre helps regulate cholesterol and blood glucose, reducing cardiovascular risk.
• Post-menopause: With declining oestrogen levels, cardiovascular and bone health risks rise. High-fibre diets rich in wholegrains are associated with lower incidence of cardiovascular events [2].

Practical Strategies to Increase Fibre Intake

To close the intake gap, women can incorporate the following evidence-based practices:

1. Eat 1/3 cup  wholegrains such as brown rice, BARLEYMAX® Super Barley, or high-fibre breakfast cereals.
2. Include about ¼ cup legumes (chickpeas, lentils, beans) at least three times per week.
3. Incorporate resistant starch by consuming cooled and reheated potatoes, rice, or BARLEYMAX® Super Barley-based foods.
4. Snack on fibre-rich foods such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds at least once a day.

A Final Word From Our Resident Nutritionist

“Women’s Health Week provides an opportunity to reflect not only on preventive health checks but also on daily dietary choices. Increasing dietary fibre intake to meet national recommendations is a simple, evidence-based strategy that can have significant impacts on women’s gut health, cardiovascular outcomes, and long-term wellbeing”. – Sharon Lawton, Elevate Food Co. Registered Nutritionist & Food Scientist.

References

1. Bird AR, et al. Low glycaemic index foods containing BARLEYmax® improve markers of bowel health in human intervention trials. Br J Nutr. 2008;99(3):614–625.
2. Fayet-Moore F, et al. Dietary fibre intake in Australia: results of the 2011–12 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey. Nutrients. 2018;10(7):799.
3. Gorbach SL, Goldin BR. Diet and the excretion and enterohepatic cycling of estrogens. Prev Med. 1987;16(4):525–531.
4. Heart Foundation. Position statement: The role of dietary fibre and wholegrains in cardiovascular health. National Heart Foundation of Australia; 2022.
5. Huang Y, et al. Unveiling the correlation between dietary fibre intake and endometriosis: a cross-sectional analysis of NHANES data. Scientific Reports. 2025:17(15):9202.
6. Nanri A, et al . Dietary fibre intake and type 2 Diabtes in Japanese men and women: The Japan Public Health Centre=based prospective study.
7. National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand. Canberra: NHMRC; 2017.
8. Swann O, Kilpatrick M, Breslin M, Oddy W. Dietary Fibre and its associations with depression and inflammation. Nutrition Reviews. 2020; 78(5):394-411.
9. Thomas D, Elliott EJ, Baur L. Low glycaemic index or low glycaemic load diets for overweight and obesity. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007;(3):CD005105.

Topping DL, Clifton PM. Short-chain fatty acids and human colonic function: roles of resistant starch and non-starch polysaccharides. Physiol Rev. 2001;81(3):1031–1064.