Time to Start Thinking about Fiber:  How to Boost your Intake and Make it Work to your Advantage 

I’m sure you’ve heard the word fiber tossed around before.  Maybe you’ve been told to get more fiber in your diet by your doctor, your friend, your Aunt’s neighbor’s hairdresser…  Perhaps you’ve seen “high in fiber” advertised on the front of your favorite cereal box.  But how much do you need, are you getting enough, what does it even do?  Great questions! Let’s dive in.

Wait, what exactly is fiber anyway?

The quick answer:  It’s a type of carbohydrate found in plants.  The long answer: Dietary fiber, sometimes called roughage, includes the parts of plant foods your body can’t digest or absorb. Fiber is commonly classified as soluble, which dissolves in water to form a gel-like material, or insoluble, which doesn’t dissolve and promotes the movement of food through your GI tract.  The amount of insoluble vs soluble fiber varies in different foods, so your best bet is to eat a wide variety of plant based foods.

So, where do I find it?

Easy- plants!  That includes: whole grains, nuts and seeds, and of course fruits and vegetables.

More specifically:

• Soluble fiber is found in oats, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, and some fruits and vegetables
• Insoluble fiber is found in nuts, beans, vegetables, and whole grains

That’s all well and good, but what’s fiber going to do for me?

There is tons of research out there on fiber and what it can help with, so see if any of these resonate with you:

• Lowers blood glucose– Specifically soluble fiber helps slow down the absorption of sugar, while insoluble fiber can help reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes
• Lowers cholesterol levels– Soluble fiber has been found to help lower your LDL (your bad cholesterol).  Ever see the heart on the Cheerios box?   That’s why.
• Lowers blood pressure– Research showed increasing fiber in the diet resulted in a decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings.
• Promotes regular bowel movements– Constipation is your gut’s worst enemy. Fiber helps soften the stool making it easier to pass, while also bulking the stool helping to prevent diarrhea.
• Maintains gut health– Fiber reduces the risk of hemorrhoids and diverticulosis (small pouches in the GI tract that can become inflamed- not very pleasant).
• Helps prevent cancer– Specifically breast and colon cancer.
• Reduces excessive calorie intake– Fiber helps fill you up and slows down digestion keeping you fuller longer.
• Supports your immune system– The bacteria in your gut feeds primarily on fiber. The more fiber you take in, the healthier your gut microbiome, which is a major site of immune activity and the production of antimicrobial proteins. 

Ok, I’m in, How much fiber do I need?

Women should aim for about 25 grams of fiber per day, while men should target about 38 grams, or 14 grams for every 1,000 calories.  It’s best to get a rough estimate of how much you’re currently getting, since most Americans are only clocking in about 15-16 grams per day, and then see how much you need to add.  A quick guestimate is 3 grams for each serving of fruits, vegetables, or whole grains (whole grain bread, brown rice, quinoa, etc).  Anything with a label will tell you exactly how much fiber is in there.  Add it all up, and see what it looks like for the day.  For example:

Breakfast: 1 cup Cheerios (3g), milk (0g), 1 banana (3g)

Lunch:  Shorti Italian Hoagie from Wawa (0g), bag of chips (0g)

Dinner: Chicken (0g), 1 cup green beans (4g), ¾ cup brown rice (3)

Snack:  Apple with 2 ounces of cheese (3g)

Total Fiber:  16g- short by 9 grams if you’re a woman, or 22 grams if you’re a man

Here is a list of some common foods that contain fiber (3 grams or more per serving) to help you figure out about how much you’re taking in each day.

Fruits and Vegetables	Fiber (grams)	Grains/Nuts/Seeds	Fiber (grams)
Apple (medium)	3	Barley, cooked (1 cup)	6
Avocado (½)	5	Beans, average all (½ cup)	7
Banana (medium)	3	Bran Flakes (1 cup)	7
Blackberries/Raspberries (1 cup)	8	Bran Muffin (1 small)	3
Blueberries (1 cup)	4	Brown Rice (1 cup)	4
Broccoli/Cauliflower (1 cup)	3	Cheerios ( 1 cup)	3
Brussel Sprouts (1 cup)	4	Chia seeds (1 ounce)	10
Carrots (1 cup)	4	Flaxseeds (3 tbsp)	7
Corn (1 cup)	5	Lentils (½ cup)	8
Eggplant (1 cup)	3	Nuts, average all (1 ounce)	3
Green beans (1 cup)	4	Oatmeal, cooked (1 cup)	4
Green peas (1 cup)	9	Peanuts (¼ cup)	3
Kiwi (1 large)	3	Popcorn (3 cups)	3
Nectarine (1 large)	3	Quinoa, cooked (1 cup)	4
Orange (1 large)	4	Soybean/Edamame (½ cup)	5
Pear (1 medium)	5	Sunflower seeds (¼ cup)	3
Peppers (1 cup chopped)	3	Wild Rice, cooked (1 cup)	3
Potato, baked (1 medium)	4	Wheat Tortilla (6 inch)	3
Spinach, cooked (1 cup)	4	Whole Wheat Bread (1 slice)	3
Strawberries (1 cup)	3	Whole Wheat Pasta (1 cup)	4
Sweet potato, baked (1 medium)	4	BONUS:
Sweet potato, mashed (1 cup)	6	Dark Chocolate (1 ounce )	3
Tomato sauce/puree (1 cup)	4

Great, I’ve got my daily intake, so I just add a bunch of foods to bump my number up?

Slow down, first things first, if you’re going to increase your fiber intake, you absolutely must increase your water intake.  Increasing fiber without fluid can lead to constipation as there isn’t enough fluid to help move the fiber along.  Keeping that in mind:

Here are some helpful tips to help increase your fiber intake:

• Aim for 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.  That’s the general guideline for healthy eating, but on average it will get you 15-27g of fiber
  • Aim for 2 servings of fruits or vegetables per meal
• Swap white bread for whole grain bread
• Change out your cereal- ones like Shredded Wheat, Bran Flakes, Kashi, etc can double or even triple your fiber intake 
• Instead of chips or pretzels, try popcorn, swap your Ritz crackers for Triscuits. 
• Make snacks count: try carrots and hummus, snack on nuts like pistachios or almonds, dip your apple slices in peanut butter
• Try beans for dinner in place of meat (think tacos, or in pasta)

Slowly increase the fiber in your diet over the span of a few weeks to allow your GI tract to adjust.  Maybe one of these tips every few days, or even one a week.  Adding fiber too quickly may cause bloating and/or gas and that’s the opposite of what we want.  It might take a little while, but it’s worth it.  

Are you interested in increasing your fiber intake?  We can help. 

Email us at info@simplestartnutrition.com 

Stay Happy, Stay Healthy

This blog was written by Chris Henigan MS, RD, LDN, co-founder of Simple Start Nutrition.  For more blog posts and nutrition information follow @simplestartnutrition on Instagram and Facebook.  Also feel free to contact us, by visiting our website (simplestartnutrition.com) to schedule an appointment to discuss your nutrition related needs.  We’re here to help.

 

References:

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/nutrition-and-immunity/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983?p=1
https://medlineplus.gov/dietaryfiber.html
https://www.nutrition.va.gov/Fiber.asp