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🌱 Fiber: Why It’s Way More Than Just a Digestive Fix
Hey everyone! If you’ve worked with me or just heard me talk about nutrition, you know I talk about fiber a lot. That’s because it’s one of the most important things we can put in our bodies. Today, we’re covering the essentials of how fiber helps your body, focusing on digestion, heart health, blood sugar, and weight management.
The Fiber Problem: Why It Matters
Fiber is often totally overlooked! A lot of people think it’s the same as just eating any old carb, but there’s a huge difference between a carb with nutritional value and one without.
Right now, a lot of popular diets promote low-carb, high-protein, or high-fat approaches. When we cut carbs, we often cut out fiber, and that means we miss out on a ton of benefits! That lack of fiber can lead to digestive issues, chronic disease, and blood sugar rollercoasters.
And here’s a reality check: Only about 7% of US adults are meeting the fiber recommendations.
The Goal: 30–35 grams per day for general health. (It’s even higher, around 50 grams, if we’re trying to be preventative for things like colon cancer.)
The Average: ∼16 grams per day—less than half of what we need!
You might think, “My digestion is fine, so I don’t need more fiber.” But fiber plays huge roles outside of just digestion, making it a powerful tool for preventing chronic disease and helping with blood sugar control and weight management.
So What Exactly Is Fiber?
🌱 Fiber is a plant-based carbohydrate that doesn’t digest like our other macronutrients. This isn’t a bad thing! Since our body doesn’t fully break it down, those solid particles are what move through your GI tract, picking things up along the way, and preventing constipation.
Where can I find fiber?
Fiber comes from plant foods—fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and legumes. You won’t find it in animal-based proteins.
Not an Energy Source: While fiber is a carb, it doesn’t give you actual energy like other carbs do. You still need non-fibrous carbs to fuel your brain and body (130 grams is the minimum your brain needs alone!). Fiber’s job is to promote health, not to power your workout.
The Two Types of Fiber
We need both types for good gut health, so don’t stress about the exact split—just aim for diversity!
Soluble Fiber: Dissolves in water and creates a gel-like substance. Its main roles are helping to manage cholesterol and blood sugar.
Insoluble Fiber: Doesn’t dissolve in water. Its main role is adding bulk to the stool and assisting with movement through the GI tract.
Fiber and Your Digestion: A Gentle Helper
Fiber supports regular bowel movements for both constipation and loose stools.
The soluble fiber forms a gel (think of chia seeds mixed with water—that gooey texture is what happens in your gut). This gel softens stool, which prevents it from becoming too hard and uncomfortable.
💧 A Huge Caveat: You need to hydrate!
Think of your GI tract like a straw. If you have lots of that fiber-gel coating the inside, but you don’t drink enough water to flush it through, it can get stuck, making it hard for things to pass. If you increase your fiber, you must also increase your water intake to avoid discomfort and keep things moving smoothly.
🦠 Feeding Your Gut Bacteria
Fiber is also food for your gut bacteria, which is called your microbiome!
Fermentable Fiber (Prebiotics): These are what your gut bacteria eat. The goal is to aim for 30 different plant foods per week (this includes whole grains, legumes, fruits, and veggies—not just 30 types of vegetables!) to promote diversity in your gut.
When your gut bacteria “eats” this fiber, it creates Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs). These are a key energy source for the cells in your colon and help with immune function and reducing inflammation.
Don’t rely on just one source, like the high-fiber “carb balance” tortillas you see advertised. You need diversity in your plant foods to feed all the different bacteria in your gut!
💓 Fiber for a Healthier Heart
Soluble fiber is key here because it actively helps decrease your LDL cholesterol (the one that causes buildup and plaque on your arteries).
Here’s how it works:
Soluble fiber binds to bile acids (which help break down fat) and removes them from your GI tract.
Your body says, “Oh no! I need more bile!”
It responds by pulling LDL cholesterol from your bloodstream and converting it into new bile.
Result: Your LDL cholesterol decreases!
Studies show that for every additional 7 grams of fiber you eat per day, there is a 9% reduction in your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Plus, high-fiber foods are more filling, which makes you less likely to eat foods high in saturated and trans fats that would increase your LDL.
⚡ Fiber and Steady Energy (Blood Sugar)
Remember that gel-like substance? It slows the rate of digestion, which means it slows the rate at which glucose is released into your bloodstream.
Instead of your blood sugar shooting up and crashing down (taking your energy with it!), it has a slower, smoother rise, keeping it steady. Our marketing manager, Sara, once said having balanced meals with fiber is like “energy drink level energy” and it’s true! It’s like having an extended-release source of fuel throughout the day.
This is super helpful if you have diabetes or pre-diabetes, as high-fiber diets have also been shown to improve insulin sensitivity.
Pro Tip: We want to aim for 7–9 grams of fiber in each meal to keep your blood sugar managed throughout the day, rather than getting a massive dose all at once at dinner.
⚖️ Fiber for Weight Management
Higher fiber meals lead to increased satiety—you feel fuller, and you feel fuller for longer. This slower digestion prevents food cravings and can help with overall weight management.
Volume Density vs. Energy Density
This is the secret sauce: High-fiber foods are usually volume-dense but low in energy density (lower in calories).
They take up a lot of physical space in your stomach (making you feel full).
They contain fewer calories for that space.
Think of it with pasta: A big bowl of plain white pasta is high in energy density—you eat a lot, but you get hungry quickly because it has no fiber or protein. But if you switch to a whole-grain pasta (which is higher in fiber and protein) and maybe throw in some frozen greens, you won’t need as much of it to feel satisfied. That simple swap helps keep your caloric balance in check long-term.
How to Actually Increase Your Fiber Intake
(without having to run to the bathroom)
You don’t need to jump from 16 grams to 35 overnight! Ease it in slowly to avoid discomfort and always increase your hydration as you go.
Nutrition by Addition (My Fave!)
Look at your meal and ask: “What can I add to this?”
Salads: Add a handful of nuts or beans (start with just a quarter or third of a cup).
Yogurt/Smoothies: Add 1–2 tablespoons of chia seeds or flax seeds.
Rice/Pasta: The easiest way to boost it is by mixing in frozen vegetables (like spinach or green beans—no chopping required!).
Pizza Night: Throw a simple salad kit on the side!
Simple Swaps
White Bread → Whole Grain Bread: An easy switch that adds about 4 grams of fiber per slice.
Juice → Whole Fruit: When you juice a fruit, you lose the pulp, which is all the fiber! Eat the whole fruit instead.
Chips → Popcorn: Popcorn is a whole grain, and 3 cups is a serving, making it a great, high-volume snack to fill physical space.
Pro-Tip: Aim for Food over Supplements!
While things like psyllium husk (Metamucil) can help, relying on whole food sources gives you a wider diversity of fiber, which is best for your overall gut microbiome health.
Final Thoughts and Next Steps
If you have any questions, you can always reach out to me on my healthy email or anywhere else—I love to hear them!
Our next webinar is October 13th at 6:30 PM, and the topic is Plant-Based Essentials. Since all those great fiber foods are plant foods, this webinar is for everyone, not just vegans or vegetarians! It will give you even more ideas on how to incorporate these nutrient-dense foods into your diet. I hope to see you there!