According to the NHS, most of us in the UK need to eat more fibre. The recommended daily amount is around 30g a day, as part of a healthy, balanced diet – but on average, we’re only getting around 20g.

Why’s it so important? Well, studies show that a fibre-rich diet is associated with a lower risk of bowel cancer, stroke, heart disease and a decreased risk of developing type II diabetes, along with helping avoid constipation.

“Fibre keeps everything regulated,” explains medical scientist and nutritionist Dr Federica Amati. “It acts as fuel for your microbiome, and everybody needs and benefits from a diet high in fibre – a gut full of fibre is a gut full of goodness.”

But our bodies can’t absorb or digest fibre – it passes straight through our body. What it does on its way, though, is pretty great for our health. Essentially, good sources of fibre, such as wholegrain bread, legumes and leafy vegetables, provide food for our gut microbes to munch on, making them healthier and able to multiply, keeping our good bacteria nicely topped up.

And because we can’t digest it, it’s vital to ensure a regular (daily) intake of high-fibre foods. This is where a high-quality supplement might be useful.

Multivitamins v fibre supplements: should we ditch a multivitamin in favour of a fibre tablet?