Basic Nutrition Tips- Eating Enough Fiber? + Tips to Get More
This weeks article focuses on ways to get more fiber in your diet. If you are like a lot of the population, you are likely not eating enough for optimal health. But what is fiber and how do you know if you are getting enough of it?
What is FIBER?
Essentially, fiber is a carbohydrate that cannot be fully digested by your body. When you eat and try to break down fiber in your gastrointestinal tract your body cannot completely and therefore keeps it in its original form unaltered or turns it into a kind of sludge. Both can have benefits downstream for the health of your gut, the bacteria that live in it, and the effects this translates to in the rest of your body and brain (your gut is referred to as you second brain afterall).
Fiber is predominately found in plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts.
There are two main types of dietary fiber, which are soluble and insoluble. Both types are important for optimal health.
Soluble VS Insoluble Fiber
Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gel/sludge type substance. This type of fiber can help to lower cholesterol levels, regulate blood sugar levels, and promote a healthy digestive system. Think:
oats (both actually)
beans
lentils
apples
citrus fruits
carrots
bananas
berries
avocados
etc
Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. It adds bulk to stool and helps to move food through the digestive system. This type of fiber can help to prevent constipation and diverticulosis. Think:
Whole grains including many rices and quinoa
Nuts
Seeds
Many Vegetables with tough cellulose and hemicellulose cell walls
Potatoes
Green Beans
Broccoli
Oats
Coconut Flakes
etc
You may notice this list is redundant….EXACTLY! Most plant foods are not strictly one or the other but have both types. They may just have a little more of one than the other or a nice mix as we like to think of it. In the end, the dichotomy may not even be worth it if your goal is simply to include more. However, there are also many subtypes and we give a brief description just for your knowledge.
Hemicellulose: This type of fiber is found in the cell walls of plants. It is a good source of prebiotics, which are food for the beneficial bacteria in the gut.
Lignin: This type of fiber is found in the woody parts of plants. It is not digestible by humans, but it can help to keep the digestive system healthy.
Beta-glucan: This type of fiber is found in oats and barley. It can help to lower cholesterol levels and regulate blood sugar levels.
Resistant starch: This type of starch is not digested by the small intestine. It reaches the colon, where it is fermented by bacteria. This fermentation can produce short-chain fatty acids, which have a number of health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Health Benefits
Fiber has been linked to MANY health benefits, including:
Improved digestive health: Fiber helps to keep the digestive system healthy by adding bulk to your stool and helping to move food through the intestines more quickly. This can help to prevent constipation and other digestive problems as well as diseases of the lower intestines.
Reduced cholesterol levels: Fiber can help to reduce cholesterol levels by binding to cholesterol in the intestines and preventing it from being absorbed into the bloodstream.
Improved blood sugar control: Fiber can help to improve blood sugar control by slowing down the digestion of carbohydrates and prevent blood sugar spikes after eating.
Weight loss: Fiber can help to promote weight loss by making you feel fuller after eating thereby helping to reduce overall food/calorie intake.
Reduced risk of chronic diseases: Fiber has been linked to a reduced risk of a number of chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cancers.
How much should you be eating and can you eat too much fiber?
All the most recent research in the area of fiber consumption in humans points to eating between ~25-40 grams daily with regard to reduced risk for a variety of diseases and all causes of death as well as improved health markers mentioned above.
A 2022 Korean 10 year cohort study showed a 16% decrease in all cause mortality in the highest intake group compared to the lowest. That same study showed a whopping 39% decrease in cardiovascular disease mortality! Another 2023 metanalysis of 243 studies found similar fiber intake recommendations of 25-38 grams. These numbers on the low vs high end typically correspond to male vs female consumption respectively. However, we like to use an easier rule of thumb that corresponds to calories consumed instead since it is more directly related to body size and possibly needs. You can try eating somewhere between 10-15 grams of fiber for approximately every 1000 calories you consume each day.
While fiber is pretty safe for most all people, it is possible to eat too much fiber and some people are more senstive to certyain amounts and types. It is always best to see what works best for you and slowly add more when adding. It does appear that more fiber for most people is better and it is also very difficult to eat incredibly large quantities due to the bulk and how full it can make you. Nevertheless eating too much fiber can lead to digestive problems such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea and decrease some mineral absorption.
How to increase fiber intake
Here are some tips for increasing your fiber intake daily:
Keep your diet to mostly whole minimally or unprocessed fiber rich foods. Start by adding small amounts of fiber to your diet each day.
Use things like smoothies to add in extra fruits and vegetables if you have a hard time adding in meals. Sprinkle nuts on salads. Add nuts and fruit as a snack.
Choose a variety of high-fiber foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts to include in meals so you get all types of fibers for the variety of benefits these types confer.
Drink plenty of fluids, especially water to aid in digestion.
If you are interested in how fiber is pretty darn similar to protein in that most of the population does not get enough of that either, have a read here. You may be surprised to find that eating more protein isn’t just for working out and you may be doing yourself a huge favor by eating more.
Link: Association of Dietary Fiber Intake with All-Cause Mortality and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality: A 10-Year Prospective Cohort Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35956265/