There's a silent killer lurking in the aisles of supermarkets, and it's not what you think. It's not saturated fats or refined sugars, but pparadoxically of something that is missing: complex carbohydrates. In an age obsessed with protein and low-carb diets, dietary fiber has become the great absentee from our tables, with devastating consequences, a new report titled “Going against the grain“, based on a survey conducted on over 1.000 British adults. But don't be fooled: the problem is global, the English study is just a warning bell of a phenomenon that is widespread worldwide. The results? Shocking. 65% of those interviewed believe they consume too little fiber, only the 45% admits that his diet is completely lacking in it.
A dangerous cognitive dissonance, considering that (and here I am talking about national data from the United Kingdom) less than 9% of the population reaches the daily target of 30 grams of fiber. And yet, Increasing your intake of complex carbohydrates by just 10 grams per day could reduce your risk of heart disease by 15% and your risk of bowel cancer by 13%.
The great fibrous ignorance
Ignorance reigns supreme when it comes to complex carbohydrates. Believe it or not, 74% of Britons claim to know what dietary fibre is, but when put to the test, only 36% can correctly identify it: “a type of carbohydrate that humans cannot digest.” The rest is groping in nutritional darkness.
The nebulous knowledge surrounding dietary fiber intake represents a real public health concern when we consider that Poor diets are responsible for 11 million deaths worldwide, and more than 600.000 of these are directly linked to low-fiber diets. Figures that should make us reflect, but which instead seem to slip away from the collective conscience.
Complex Carbohydrates, the Invisible Allies of the Heart
The benefits of fiber are clear as day, yet we seem determined to ignore them. Dr. Gill Jenkins, a GP with a special interest in diabetes, doesn't mince words:
Fiber helps manage our blood sugar and cholesterol levels. It feeds the good bacteria in our gut, encourages pathogens and other toxins to move through the digestive system and out of the body, and prevents overeating by helping us feel fuller after meals.
Yet, three-quarters of respondents did not know that Fiber may lower the risk of heart disease. Shocking ignorance, considering that a “super study” found significant reductions in cardiovascular disease when comparing populations with the highest and lowest intakes of dietary fiber. And the heart is just the beginning. Seven in ten did not know that fiber can reduce the risk of bowel cancer, despite the data published on the British Journal of Nutrition show that fiber, especially from whole grains but also from fruits and vegetables, is helpful in reducing the risk of developing intestinal cancer.
Complex Carbohydrates: Small Changes, Big Results
La Dr. Ruxton She is astonished: “It is shocking that around one in ten deaths from bowel cancer or heart disease globally is simply due to a lack of fibre, something that could easily be fixed.”
We are not talking about extreme sacrifices or restrictive diets. Increase fiber by just 10 grams per day (the equivalent of three servings of fruit, or a good supplement) has demonstrated results comparable to the most reliable drugs and supplements: we can achieve them simply by making more conscious choices at the supermarket.
According to a new survey, the main reason for our low fiber intake is that about a third of people don't consider fiber when they shop. Only one in five (21%) said they prioritize higher-fiber varieties of pantry staples, although this is one of the best ways to increase fiber in your diet. This means choosing whole grain breakfast cereals, whole grain rice and pasta, potatoes with the skin on, and whole grain bread, and most importantly, knowing how to spot them in the store.
The Future of Fiber
The problem is not a lack of scientific evidence but a lack of knowledge and communication. As a matter of public health importance, we need to encourage everyone to consume more fiber and give them the tools to do so easily in their busy lives.
We can change course. It’s time to put complex carbohydrates back at the centre of our diets, not as occasional guests but as the stars of our daily meals. Our health depends on this shift in perspective. The UK report is just the start: we need a ‘global fibre revolution’, starting with what we put in our shopping baskets and ending with what we put on our plates.
The stakes are too high to ignore any longer.
