How to Eat More Fiber, Without Upsetting Your Gut | The Health Sessions
I recently read a shocking statistic: According toStanford University,only 5% of adults eat the recommended amount of fiber. We should eat 28 to 42 grams of fiber a day to stay healthy, but most of us in the. . .
I recently read a shocking statistic: According toStanford University,only 5% of adults eat the recommended amount of fiber. We should eat 28 to 42 grams of fiber a day to stay healthy, but most of us in the US and Europe only consume12 to 24 grams. And in sharp contrast to what the research shows,67% of peoplebelieve we’re already meeting our fiber needs. If you’re chronically ill, your ‘fiber gap’ may be even larger than the average person’s, with nausea affecting your appetite, allergies restricting what you can eat, fatigue limiting your cooking options and medications reducing your gut motility and absorption. But you do need plenty of fiber, because thesedietary componentssupport your digestion, blood sugar levels and a healthy weight, while reducing your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and some forms of cancer. So what can you do to eat more fiber with chronic illness?Let’s take a look at what fiber actually is, why it matters specifically for chronic illness and what you can do to increase your fiber intake. What is fiber and why do you need it?Dietary fiber is a component found in plants, from fruits and vegetables to legumes, grains, nuts and seeds, that cannot be completely broken down by your body. It passes through your digestive system largely intact, and that’s precisely what makes it so valuable. Broadly speaking, there aretwo types of fiber, and they both work differently in your body:Soluble fiberdissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance in your gut. It slows your digestion, helps stabilize yourblood sugar levels, lowers your LDL cholesterol and feeds the good bacteria in your gut microbiome. You’ll find soluble fiber in oats, beans, chia seeds, apples and psyllium husk. Insoluble fiberdoes not dissolve, but instead adds bulk to your stool to keep things moving through your digestive tract, which prevents constipation and supports regular bowel movements. Good sources of insoluble fiber are wholegrains, nuts and the skins of vegetables and fruits. Most plant foods contain both kinds of fiber, so you don’t need to track them separately. What does matter is eating awide variety of fiber-rich foods, to nourish your diverse gut microbiome and support your overall health. How fiber affects your gut microbiome and overall healthWhen soluble fiber reaches your colon undigested, the bacteria in your gut ferment the leftover foods. In doing so, they produce 3 major compounds calledshort-chain fatty acids (SCFA’s): acetate, propionate and butyrate. Researchshows that these SCFA’s benefit your health in multiple ways: they reduce inflammation in your body, boost your immunity, protect your heart and brain health, and support your digestive system. That is why ahigh fiber intakelowers your risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes, while also helping you manageinflammatory diseasessuch as IBD and arthritis. At the same time, insoluble fiber binds to potential toxins, carcinogens and bile acids, to prevent them from being absorbed by the intestinal wall and remove these harmful compounds through the faeces instead. This explains why consuming enough fiber helps to protect againstcolon cancerandbreast cancer. Increasing your fiber intake clearly reduces your chances of becoming seriously sick, but what if you’re already chronically ill?Photo by Annelies VerhelstWhy fiber matters specifically for chronic illnessUntil recently, most nutritional advice focused on the digestive aspects of fiber. But for people living with chronic illness, dietary fiber offers even more important benefits. 1. Reduce systemic inflammationChronic inflammation is the underlying cause of many long-term conditions, from rheumatoid arthritis and lupus to inflammatory bowel disease and heart problems. The SCFA’s produced by fiber help fight inflammation in your body. Studies confirm thathigh-fiber dietary interventionscreate a more diverse gut microbiome with more SCFA-producing bacteria, which reduces the amount and/or severity of disease-specific symptoms. 2. Stabilize blood sugar levels (and energy!)Soluble fiber slows the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream, preventing the spikes and crashes that worsen existingfatigue. That’s particularly relevant if you’re living with ME/CFS, POTS, fibromyalgia, diabetes or thyroid conditions. Over time, relatively stable blood sugar levels also lower your risk of getting type 2 diabetes, metabolic disease and fatty liver disease. 3. Support cardiovascular healthResearchshows that adequate fiber intake can lower your cholesterol, enhance endothelial function and support a healthy weight, all of which reduces your risk of hypertension, heart attacks and stroke. For people with chronic conditions that already increase your cardiovascular risk, like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and kidney disease, fiber is one of the most accessible preventative interventions available. 4. Boost your moodThis may surprise you, but around 90% of your body’s serotonin (the mood-enhancing neurotransmitter) is produced in your gut, not your brain. And guess what these gut bacteria feed on? Fiber. Asystematic reviewsuggests that a fiber-rich diet can potentially help ease depression and anxiety through this gut-brain connection. For people with chronic illness, who experiencemore depression and anxietythan healthy people, this can be a low-energy way to support your mood during difficult times. Eating a high-fiber diet cannot cure your chronic illness, but science suggests it may ease your symptoms and improve your wellbeing. So how much fiber do you actually need?The European Food Safety Authority(EFSA) recommends at least25 grams of dietary fiber per dayfor adults, because this intake is linked to better bowel health and the prevention of heart disease, diabetes and colon cancer. Similarly, theUnited States Department of Agriculture(USDA) advises a daily intake of 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men under 50, with a general formula of 14 grams per 1,000 calories consumed. One important note:Factors like chronic health conditions, medications and/or your fluid intake can also affect how much fiber you need and how well you tolerate it. If you’re unsure what’s right for your specific situation,it’s worth a conversation with your doctor or dietitian, especially if you have a GI condition, kidney disease or are on medications that affect gut motility. In that spirit…Photo by Maria van DoornWhen ‘fibermaxxing’ is not right for youBefore you start adding chia seeds to everything, there’s one important caveat: for some chronic illness conditions, dramatically increasing fiber in a short amount of time can make symptoms significantly worse. The golden rule for everyone: go slow. Adding too much fiber too quicklycan result in gas, diarrhea, cramping and bloating. Your gut microbiome and physiology needs time to adjust, roughlytwo weeks. So take your time and gradually increase your fiber intake by 3 to 5 grams at a time. Not only will this reduce any gut intolerance symptoms, but you’re also much more likely to likely to stick to your fiber-rich diet over time. More so, always increase your fluid intake alongside your fiber. Like the name says, soluble fibers dissolve in water, so being well hydrated can help prevent uncomfortable bowel problems. IBD, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitisWhile a high-fiber diet is associated with a 40% reduced risk of developingCrohn’s disease,excess fiber during flare-ups themselves can sometimes exacerbate symptoms. The specific danger isintestinal strictures:when there’s a narrowing cause by inflammation or scarring, a heavy dose of fiber can bulk up the stool so much that it can get stuck and cause a serious obstruction. When inflammatory bowel disease isin remission, people can generally tolerate healthy diets with 25–35 grams of fiber per day. During a flare-up, or if you have known strictures, a lower-fiber approach is safer. Always discuss your diet with your gastroenterologist; this isnota decision to make without medical advice. GastroparesisGastroparesis means food moves through your stomach significantly more slowly than normal. High-fiber foods stay in the stomach longer, which can worsen your nausea, bloating and that feeling of fullness. During symptomatic periods, lower-fiber, well-cooked and easily digestible foods are typicallyrecommended. Again, ask a dietitian familiar with gastroparesis for tailored tips for your situation. Kidney diseaseMany people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are cautioned about high-fiber whole foods, because they can be high in potassium and phosphorus, which some kidney patients need to limit. However, the broader picture on fiber and kidney disease seems to be more positive: Alarge cross-sectional studyfound increasing one’s fiber intake reduces the chances of developing chronic kidney disease in hypertensive patients, as well as reduces progression in people already living with CKD. The form and source of fiber also seem to matter more than the quantity alone. If you have CKD, work with your renal dietitian to identify which fiber sources are safe for your specific situation. Dysphagia and swallowing difficultiesSome high-fiber foods, like raw vegetables, whole nuts and seeds, may present a choking or aspiration risk for people with swallowing problems. Especially psyllium husk thickens rapidly when it comes into contact with liquid, and without adequate fluids, it can become dangerously thick to swallow. If you have dysphagia, always discuss any changes to diet texture with your speech and language therapist or dietitian. Medication timingFiber can interfere with the absorption ofcertain medications, like levothyroxine (thyroid medications) and digoxin (heart medication), by binding to them in the gut and reducing how much your body absorbs. It’s worth discussing any planned increase in fiber intake with your prescriber or pharmacist, particularly if you’re on medications with a narrow therapeutic window. Important note:Not sure whether increasing fiber is right for your specific condition?Always contact your GP, gastroenterologist or a registered dietitianfamiliar with chronic illness for personalized advice before making significant dietary changes. Photo by Annelies VerhelstHow to Eat More Fiber, Without Upsetting Your GutIf you want to eat more fiber to support your health, the main strategy is simple:Eat more plants. Fiber is found in fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds. That’s why it’s helpful to explore low-energy ways toconsume more unprocessed foods, from making batches of overnight oats and simple salads, to using energy-saving tools like slow cookers, blenders and sheet pan meals. A quick recap of the general tips mentioned above:Start slow and make small changes. Suddenly doubling your fiber intake is a recipe for bloating and abdominal cramps. Stay hydrated. As you eat more fiber, make sure you drink enough water, tea or otherhealthy drinksto support your bowels. Now let’s dig into more specific strategies to start eating more fiber!1. Consume your legumesLegumes are fiber superstars. Split peas, lentils and black beans contain plenty or dietary fiber, B vitamins, minerals and plant protein. Eating 50g of legumes per dayis even linked to a lowered risk of serious diseases and mortality. And the best news is: they’re all available canned, meaning less cooking energy required. High-fiber legumes (cooked, per 100g): Split peas (8,3g); lentil (7,9g); black beans, (8,7g); chickpeas (7,6g) and edamame (5,2g). But most adults in theUSandEuropedo not eat the recommended amount of chickpeas, pinto beans and edamame. So how can you easily start consuming more legumes?Enjoyhummusand otherbean spreadson a sandwich or as a dip for pita bread and raw veggies. Have legume-based pasta. Made from chickpeas, red lentils or black beans, legume-based pasta look like regular pasta, but they contain roughly 2 to 3 times the fiber of wheat pasta, with significantly more protein. Snack on edamame and crispyroasted chickpeas. Blend legumes into sauces. A quarter tin of white beans blended into a tomato sauce or soup adds creaminess without a strong bean flavor or texture. Dedicate one night a week to cooking with beans. Make15 Bean Soupin an Instant Pot, enjoy ajacket sweet potatostuffed with spiced black beans, or pack yourquesadillaswith spicy legumes. Just a head’s up: Legumes areinfamousfor causing flatulence and bloating, so increase your intake slowly and consider strategies like soaking your beans overnight to reduce the risk of gas. 2. Sneak more vegetables into your mealsEating vegetables with most mealsis a great way to increase your fiber intake, pack in vitamins and antioxidants, and support your overall health. So don’t wait until dinner time to have your greens, butfind easy and tasty ways to consume more veggies throughout the day. For breakfast, you can stir grated carrots through your porridge to createMorning Glory Oats, blend frozen cauliflower through yourchocolate smoothieor enjoy aGreek-inspired savory yogurt bowlwith tomato, cucumber and radish. At lunchtime, you may have a side salad with your usual lunch, build theultimate veggie sandwichor warm up with arustic minestrone souppacked with kale and beans. Andsheet pan mealswith roasted vegetables will effortlessly add more fiber to your dinners!High-fiber vegetables (cooked, per 100 grams): Artichokes (5,4g); peas (5,1g); parsnip (4,4g), Brussel’s sprouts (3,8g) and broccoli (3,3g). Fiber-specific strategies for vegetables:In salads, swap iceberg lettuce (low in fiber) for kale, spinach, romaine lettuce or cabbage. Zero effort, more fiber. Look beyond thestandard veggieslike tomatoes, peppers, carrots and cucumbers, and experiment cooking with fiber-rich vegetables likeartichokes,beets,Brussel’s sproutsandcollard greens. Frozen vegetables retain their nutrients, including fiber. If you have limited cooking energy, frozen peas, broccoli and spinach are high-fiber, low-prep staple ingredients that are worth keeping stocked. Part of the (insoluble) fiber in vegetables is in the skin. So whenever you can do so safely and do not suffer from any digestive sensitivities, consider eating your sweet potatoes, zucchini and cucumber (as well as your fruits) unpeeled. Check out thisHealthline guidefor more information. Photo by Maria van Doorn3. Go wholegrainWhole grains contain more fiber than white bread, pasta and rice. That’s why you should gradually swap your usual white carbohydrates for wholegrain versions. Over the next weeks, restock your cupboards with wholewheat pasta and brown rice instead of their white versions, and buy wholegrain bread at the bakery. Don’t make all these changes at once, especially if you have a sensitive gut, just let your body adjust slowly. High-fiber whole grains (cooked, per 100g): Rolled oats (10,1 g) bulgur (4. 5g); barley (3. 8g); teff (2. 8g) and quinoa (2. 8g). Beyond the basics, it’s worth exploring some less familiarwhole grainspacked with fiber:Oatmealis one of the richest sources of soluble fiber. And the best thing is,overnight oatsrequire zero cooking energy but still offer much versatility with different toppings. Barleycontains beta-glucan, the soluble fiber that’s particularly good for blood sugar and cholesterol. You can eat barley as aporridge, arisotto-styledish or turn it intodelicious cookies. Quinoais not only a complete protein but also a great fiber source. Use quinoa as a base forgrain bowls, stir it into soups, or serve it instead ofrice. Air-popped popcornsurprisingly contains 3. 5 grams of fiber per serving, pretty impressive for such a simple snack, right? Just skip the heavily buttered cinema version. 4. Eat whole fruits rather than drinking juiceFruit and veggie juices look vibrant and healthy, butjuicing removes most of the insoluble fiber(discarded in the pulp). You still get some soluble fiber, but also more blood sugar spikes and crashes without the insoluble fiber to slow down digestion. Blending your fruits into a smoothie is a better option, or simply snack on the whole fruits instead. High-fiber fruits (raw, per 100g):Passion fruit (10g); avocado (6,7g); raspberries (6,5g); guava (5,4g); blackberries (5,3g). Just one apple (with the skin on) will give you 4,5 grams of fiber, while sneaking berries into your yogurt or oatmeal provides 5 to 7 grams of dietary fiber. So keep a fruit bowl somewhere visible and within reach. We eat what we see, so this kind of‘environment design‘ will help you grab a banana instead of a cookie. Also eat the skin wherever it’s safe to do so. A pear with skin, for example, has nearly double the fiber of a peeled one. Make a habit of packing fruit as a healthy snack. And of course fruit’s perfect for juicy desserts, from healthierblueberry crumblesandpassion fruit parfaitstobaked applesand grilled pineapple. 5. Swap part of your animal protein for plant-based proteinFiber is exclusively found in plants. But you don’t have to go vegetarian to add more plant-based protein (packed with fiber) to your dinners. Just try swapping part of your meat, fish or poultry for legumes, nuts or other plants!You can make yourchiliwith some minced meat, some black beans. Have apoké bowlwith a small portion of salmon, but also edamame, avocado and mango. You could also sneak spinach into yourturkey meat ballsor add some grated zucchini or carrots to your homemade burgers for extra fiber. If you’re a diehard meat lover, maybe you could try to add fiber by having plant-based sauces, dips and spreads instead of dairy-based ones. For example, choose hummus instead of tzatziki for your grilled dish, make guacamole or baba ghanoush instead of cheesy dips or add tomato salsa and corn to your hot dogs instead of mustard sauce. Even small swaps add up over time. Pin and save these tips for later. Photo by Celine Verhoef. 6. Top your food bowls with nuts and seedsWhen it comes to fiber, seeds are tiny but mighty, and nuts aren’t far behind. A small handful scattered over meals is a low-effort way to meaningfully increase your daily fiber intake without changing what you’re eating. High-fiber seeds (per 100g): Chia seeds (34. 4g ); ground flaxseed (27. 3g ); pumpkin seeds (6. 5g); sunflower seeds (8. 6g). So one simple strategy to get closer to your daily fiber target is by topping your sweet and savory bowls with nuts or seeds. Have a smoothie bowl with chia seeds, shaved almonds or pumpkin seeds, or top your‘baklava’ overnight oatswith pistachio and walnuts. For lunch or dinner, add toasted peanuts or sesame seeds to your Asian rice bowl. You could also make your ownsavory granolathat you can sprinkle over salads, soups and hearty yogurt bowls. High-fiber nuts (raw, per 100g): Almonds (12. 5g); pistachios (10. 6g); hazelnuts (9. 7g); walnuts (6. 7g). Keep a small jar of mixed seeds on your kitchen counter where you prep your food, so you’re reminded to use them as toppings. If you’re having flax seeds, just remember to choose ground ones instead of whole, to get the fiber benefits. These amounts add up faster than you’d think: just one tablespoons of chia seeds over your yogurt, cereal or oatmeal will give you 3,4g of fiber, added to a meal you were already eating. 7. Level up your sweetsWho said eating more fiber has to be boring and tasteless?Some sweet treats can bring your joyanda good dose of fiber all at once. Chia puddingandchocolate raspberry bitesare low-effort but tasty ways to get your fiber in. If you have the energy, you could bakeblack bean browniesorsweet potato blondieswith hidden veggies. Energy ballsmade with oats, nut butter, chia seeds and/or dried fruit can be prepared in bulk and kept in the fridge for days; no cooking required. But even simple snacks count: air-popped popcorn contains3,5 grams of fiberper serving, while dark chocolate (70% cacao) paired with some raspberries feels more like a decadent treat than a high-fiber strategy. Of course you don’t have to turn every baking session into a health project. But it’s good to know that the foods you love can help you close the fiber gap in a tasty way. Start eating more fiberYou don’t need to overhaul your diet if you want to eat more fiber with chronic illness. You just make one small change at a time: choosing wholegrain products, eating vegetables with more meals, sprinkling nuts or seeds on your food bowls, whatever works best for you. Over time, your gut microbiome will adapt and flourish, lowering your inflammation levels and long-term disease risk. Increasing your fiber intake is a relatively easy way to support your overall health, as long as you do it gradually. How will you try to eat more fiber in the coming weeks?For more doable advice on healthy eating with chronic illness, read‘How to Reduce Ultra-Processed Foods When You’re Too Tired to Cook’and‘Eat the Rainbow: 22 Colorful Recipes Packed with Nutrients’. You can also take inspiration from these20 Make-Ahead Meals for Busy or Tiring Days.