This is how much fibre you need to eat in a day to have a healthy gut
After many moons lagging behind protein as the unsexy food group, it's finally fibre's time to shine.
In a year where fibre has been hailed as the answer to a healthier gut, immune system and even reducing the risk of bowel cancer (which, according to a recent study, is on the rise) it's surprising that we're not consuming nearly enough of it.
Yet more than 90% of UK adults don't eat enough fibre, according to the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS).
With the nation's fibre consumption apparently in crisis, we've delved into exactly how much fibre your diet should feature, as well as nutritionist-approved tips on how to do it.
How much fibre should we be eating per day?
Government guidelines say we should be eating 30g of fibre per day, as part of a healthy, balanced diet. According to the NHS, most adults in the UK are only eating about 20g per day, so there's some serious shortfall to make up here.
It's crucial to include fibre in your diet for normal day-to-day functioning of your digestive system, says Nichola Ludlam-Raine, registered nutritionist and author of How Not to Eat Ultra-Processed.
‘Fibre is super important to for digestive health. To keep our body moving, we need a mixture of both insoluble and soluble fibre. This will help to keep your bowels moving and help to prevent things like constipation,' she says.
Eating the recommended daily dose of fibre has other benefits, too.
‘It's also really important to have a good fibre intake to manage cholesterol levels. And from a cancer point of view, it helps to reduce rates of like bowel and colon cancer,’ says Ludlam-Raine.
What does 30g of fibre look like?
Eating a fibre-filled diet isn't rocket science.
‘Including lots of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, pulses will help you to meet that 30g fibre target,’ says Ludlam-Raine.
‘For my patients, I always focus on protein and produce. For example, snack combinations like hummus and carrots, nut butter and grapes, berries and yoghurt, nuts and dried fruit to try and get both the protein for satiety and fibre for your gut health,’ she says.
Ludlam-Raine's advice is to try and eat 1-2 sources of fibre per meal, like wholegrain carbohydrates, beans, pulses, lentils and fruits and vegetables.
In a recent post on her Instagram profile, Ludlam-Raine sets out what this might look like in a typical day.
Breakfast: two Weetabix with 200ml almond milk, topped with 1 banana and a handful of walnuts (7g).
Lunch: half a pack of microwaveable wholegrain rice with a salmon fillet, 100g broccoli and ½ a chopped bell pepper (7.3g).
Dinner: fajitas made with a wholemeal tortilla wrap with one chicken breast, a handful of salad, pepper and half an onion (7g).
Snacks: a handful (80g) of carrot sticks with a quarter of a tub of hummus (5g), and 20g dark chocolate (2g).
Seems easy... so why exactly aren't we getting enough fibre?
From lack of time and money to a preoccupation with protein, there are myriad reasons why you might not be consuming enough fibre.
‘In headlines, we've just heard that diets in the UK are typically 50% ultra-processed foods or more,’ says Ludlam-Raine. ‘In teens and [lower-income individuals], it can be 80%. Often, many of the ultra-processed foods are devoid or lacking in fibre because they contain a lot of refined carbohydrates.’
Our modern, busy lifestyles might also be the culprit. ‘People are eating on the go, or they're choosing a sandwich and they just go for the white bread, and then they're choosing the chocolate bar instead of some fruit. People are going for convenience, ultimately, at the expense of healthier whole foods,’ says Ludlam-Raine.
Even for the more nutrition-aware, fibre often doesn't get the airtime it deserves in our diets. A quick scroll on any meal-prepper's TikTok feed will feature tens of recipes hailing protein as the fix-all food group for your fitness and health goals.
While getting enough protein is important, it's not all about chucking chicken into every meal.
‘People don’t realise that you do get protein in whole grains,’ Ludlam-Raine says. ‘You get protein in bread and cereals. In things like beans, you get both fibre and protein. I think it's about adding in plant-based sources of protein alongside meat, fish, and dairy, which is naturally lower in fibre.’
Is there anyone who shouldn't eat 30g of fibre in a day?
While there are no huge downsides to switching to a high-fibre diet, there are a few things you can do to make it a little easier on your body.
‘My advice is always to gradually increase [your fibre intake], because as you gradually increase the amount of fibre and amount of variety, that will enable your gut bacteria to thrive and adapt, so that you're better able to deal with more fibre in the future,’ recommends Ludlam-Raine.
It's also important to spread your allotted 30g across the course of the day, too.
‘Ensure that you're eating [your fibre] with an adequate amount of fluid, spaced throughout the day. I always say, remember: "FFM: fibre, fluid, movement." Space out your fibre. Gradually increase it. Space out your fluid and movement throughout the day.’
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