You’ve heard about fiber and know you should be getting enough. But there’s more to this key nutrient than most people realize. The more you know about fiber, the better equipped you’ll be to meet or exceed your daily dose.
First off, what is fiber? Fiber is a carbohydrate found in plants like fruits and veggies, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, and whole grains. The body cannot digest fiber well, which is the reason why it’s so important. Fiber is roughage and acts like a flush to the digestive system; it stays intact so that it can move food and waste into and out of the body. This is why fiber is critical for a healthy flow in the digestive system, helping to prevent constipation.
Want to get your gut back on track for the New Year? Try our simple 3-Step Gut Health Journey™ by clicking here.
Fiber, too, is important for other reasons too. Fiber binds with cholesterol from food, preventing the body from absorbing it. This helps to support healthy cholesterol levels. Fiber also slows down absorption of sugar from food, helping to prevent blood sugar from spiking—why getting enough fiber can help maintain healthy glucose levels.
Getting enough fiber can also keep you satisfied longer, helping to prevent hunger. This essential nutrient works to stimulate the GLP-1 hormone in the gut. It’s this hormone that helps you to feel full longer—and helps you maintain a healthy weight. (GLP-1 protocols like Ozempic or Wegovy work to stimulate the GLP-1 hormone in the gut.)
Stimulate the GLP-1 hormone naturally in the gut with our GLP-1-Friendly Gut Health Journey™. To find out where you are on your Journey, take our Gut Health Quiz!
How Much Fiber Do You Need?
You need 25 to 30 grams of fiber every day. 90% of Americans are not getting enough fiber, and you may be one of them.
There are good reasons for this: Take-out foods, processed foods, and on-the-go eating—which all of us indulge in at some point or another—aren’t great sources of fiber. What also doesn’t contain fiber: meat, chicken, turkey, fish, and dairy products. Refined or “white” foods like white bread, white rice, white pasta, and pastries also don’t have a lot of fiber. These foods have had the outer coat of the grain removed; it’s this outer coat or bran that is rich in fiber.
5 Simple Ways to Boost Your Fiber Intake
In honor of National Fiber Month, we’ve put together some essential info about fiber so you can get more starting today.
1. Increase your fiber intake slowly with each meal. “Getting more fiber” may sound difficult generally but if you break this goal down into simple, do-able steps at each meal, it’s easily accomplishable!
Consider this: if you simply add oatmeal with fruit and chia or flaxseeds to your morning routine, you’d be getting almost your daily dose:
🥣 one cup of cooked oatmeal (8 to 10 grams of fiber)
🫐 one cup of berries (4 grams of fiber)
🌱 2 tablespoons of chia or flaxseeds (6 to 10 grams of fiber) mixed into your oatmeal, yogurt, or a morning smoothie
Take a look at each meal and snack you’re eating and find ways to up the fiber intake. It’s that easy!
For an easy, delicious fiber-rich smoothie bowl recipe, click here.
2. Make healthy swaps; they go a long way when it comes to fiber. Whole grains contain significantly more fiber than white grains. If you simply swap out white bread, pasta, or rice for whole grain varieties, you’re already on your way to meeting your fiber intake! (And chances are you won’t even miss the processed foods you’re giving up…)
Some examples of healthy fiber swaps:
🌾 Choose one cup of brown rice with about 4 grams of fiber, over one cup of white rice with less than 1 gram of fiber
🥪 Opt for 2 slices of multi-grain bread (about 4 grams of fiber) over 2 slices of white bread, which contain about 1.6 grams of fiber
🍝 Eat one cup of whole grain pasta with 6+ grams of fiber instead of one cup of white pasta, with less than 4 grams of fiber
3. Get enough soluble and insoluble fiber. This part may seem hard but when you understand what each is, you’ll easily get the hang of it. Many foods, like fruits and veggies, legumes, and seeds contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, but here’s a general guide you should know:
Soluble fiber dissolves in water, forming a gel-like substance that helps with digestion. Foods with soluble fiber include some fruits and veggies like avocados, bananas, and citrus fruits, oat bran, beans, and lentils. Psyllium is also a soluble fiber found in our Daily Multi-Fiber, the 2nd step in our Gut Health Journey™.
Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water, forming bulkage to remove waste, helping to prevent constipation. Foods with insoluble fiber contain more bulk; whole grains like quinoa and brown rice, leafy greens, and fruits with edible peels (e.g., apples and pears) are rich in insoluble fiber.
Once you start adding more fiber to your diet in the form of real foods, you’ll naturally be getting both soluble and insoluble fiber.
4. Add extra fiber to smoothies, breads, cookies, and more. You can easily boost the fiber intake of so many things by just adding flaxseeds, chia seeds, and even our unflavored Daily Multi-Fiber, which mixes in well with just about everything.
The goal: to boost your fiber intake whenever you can. (Try adding our vegan protein powder, Plant Protein+, to your smoothies too: this delicious 3rd Step in our Gut Health Journey™ contains protein from non-GMO North American yellow peas plus flax and chia seeds for added fiber and essential fatty acids.)
5. Take a fiber supplement on days when you know you won’t be getting enough. Getting key nutrients like fiber from your daily diet is always best, but we know how days get. The best intentions to eat super healthy can often go awry!
That’s where our Daily Multi-Fiber comes in. Simply mix one rounded teaspoon into your favorite milk or water and stir or shake well. We love adding our Savory Mocha flavored Daily Multi-Fiber to coconut milk for a delicious, fiber-rich chocolate milk! We even have single serving Daily Multi-Fiber travel gussets to use while on the go; simply open, pour into a bottle of water, give it a good shake, and drink!
Getting enough daily fiber doesn’t have to be hard. Adding a little bit of fiber every day can make a big difference in the long run. Once you start getting more fiber, you’ll be amazed at the changes you’ll see and feel. You’ll be more regular, and you may even notice that you’re finding it easier to maintain a healthy weight. Simple changes do equal big results! You got this! 💪
