Which food do you think has the most impact on ageing well? Is it a macronutrient or a micronutrient? A building block of the body, like collagen, or a crucial antioxidant, like vitamin C? The answer may surprise you.
ALSO SEE: Micronutrients - Your Anti-Ageing Weapon
Studying successful ageing
A study published in The Journals of Gerontology found that out of all the factors they examined - which included a person’s total carbohydrate intake, total fibre intake, glycaemic index, glycaemic load, and sugar intake - it was the fibre that made the biggest difference to what the researchers termed “successful ageing.”
What does that mean? Well, in this instance, successful ageing was defined as including an absence of disability, depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, respiratory symptoms, and chronic diseases including cancer, coronary artery disease, and stroke.
The researchers found that those who had the highest intake of fibre had an almost 80 percent greater likelihood of living a long and healthy life over a 10-year follow-up.
Slowing your ageing process
Boost your gut health and slow your ageing process with a high-fibre diet. This means eating plenty of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, bran and oats.
- Soluble fibre increases the consistency of the contents of our gut and slows down our digestion rate. This helps to regulate blood sugar and lower cholesterol.
- Insoluble fibre allows more water to bind to the stools, increases bulk and results in softer stools - useful for preventing constipation and for those who have irritable bowel syndrome or diverticular disease.
You’ll find both soluble and insoluble fibre in Beauty Greens® products. This duo of fibres provides “food” for our gut bacteria - stimulating their growth, bulks up stools and results in more regular bowel movements, all of which help us to age successfully.
Some sources of our fibre:
Green Pea Fibre, Acacia Fibregum, Blue Agave Inulin, Jerusalem Artichoke Inulin, Apple Pectin, Oat Fibre, Flaxseed. (Flaxseed is also a powerful omega-3 fatty acid, read up about its beauty and health benefits here.)
