Today I will be featuring fibre, a popular word on food labels. So what is fibre? The colloquial term is “roughage”. It is the indigestible part of foods which helps aid healthy bowel function to rid the body of waste. There are two types of fibre which are soluble and insoluble. The former absorbs cholesterol and regulates blood sugar, therefore, is great against fighting diabetes and heart disease. The latter is great in softening waste quicker.

Fibre is important in the fight against colon cancer as well as reducing cases of constipation, and haemorrhoids (piles). According to the UK Department of Health’s Dietary Reference Guide, we should consume between 26 to 35 grams of fibre daily. When trying to lose weight, fibre helps you feel full and controls your appetite. Trust me, I know, as I am currently trying to lose weight and it is working.

Good Sources of Fibre: Wholegrain cereals (look for those with at least 6 or more grams per serving such as the Kashi brand, I swear by it), Wholegrain rice and pastas, nuts, seeds, bran (Kellogg’s All Bran is fantastic) beans and good old-fashioned oats. Vegetables and fruits are also wonderful with fibre including today’s featured fruit, the pineapple.

Cho Cho

This vegetable was discovered by Irish botanist, Patrick Browne in Jamaica and appeared in his book “The Civil and Natural History of Jamaica” published in 1756 according to www.botany.org. It is often overlooked for its bland taste and prickly appearance, but don’t let it fool you. It is cheap and can be made into many different things just because it can absorb flavours well. It is in the same family as the squash, watermelon and cucumber. It is also known as “christophene” in the smaller Caribbean islands and “chayote” in Latin America. When I was vacationing in Brazil, I had this lovely vinegary side salad made from cho cho. In Mexico, I had it with cheese and olives. Here is my “Jamaicanised” version below which I think would be lovely with grilled fish for a light lunch:

Cho Cho and Tomato Salad in Lime and Scotch Bonnet Dressing

Ingredients: 2 Cho Chos, cut into slices and microwaved in 1/4 cup water for 7 minutes and drained, 1 large tomato, quartered, 1 sweet pepper, sliced, 1/4 scotch bonnet, chopped finely, small bunch of parsley, chopped finely, 1 garlic clove, minced, 1 large lime, juiced, 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Method: Prepare vinaigrette with garlic, scotch bonnet, lime juice, and oil and season to taste. Toss all of the vegetables together with the parsley, add the vinaigrette and allow the flavours to merge for at least an hour in the fridge before serving.