Here’s How A High-Fibre Diet Can Improve Your Digestion And Gut Health, According To Nutritionists
It’s no secret that fibre supplements are making a major comeback these days. From gummies and capsules to psyllium husk to help your gut health, there are plenty of products on the market these days to aid digestion, ease constipation and help you stay fuller for longer. When it comes to good nutrition, experts say you shouldn’t sleep on a high-fibre diet—but before shopping for supps, it may help to stock up on fibre-rich foods first.
Consuming more fibre in your diet has many health benefits, says dietician Deborah Cohen. Because fibre is typically found in plant-based foods, consuming more of those tends to be good for your overall health, she says. Fibre also helps your intestinal tract function optimally and plays an important role in preventing metabolic diseases, according to a 2022 study in Nutrients.
So, what does a high-fibre diet involve and can it really help your gut health? Ahead, dieticians break down what fibre is, how much you need and simple ways to work more into your diet.
Meet the experts: Vanessa Rissetto, RD, is a dietician and the CEO and co-founder of Culina Health. Deborah Cohen, DCN, RDN, is an associate professor in the Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Science at Rutgers University. Nutritionist Karen Ansel, RDN, is author of Healthy in a Hurry.
What is fibre and how much do you need?
Fibre is a nutrient that comes from the food you eat and is an essential part of a healthy diet, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The current recommendation for daily fibre intake is 14 grams for every 1,000 calories per day—about 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. That said, most adults need about 25 to 30 grams of fibre per day, according to a 2022 review in the National Library of Medicine. “Trouble is, most of us only consume about 10 to 15 grams a day, so almost all of us could use more,” says dietician Karen Ansel, RDN, author of Healthy in a Hurry.
Here are the different types of fibre to have on your radar:
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Dietary Fibre
This type is typically found in plants, says dietician Vanessa Rissetto.
“It’s resistant to digestion in the human small intestine,” she says, meaning that it can’t be broken down and therefore passes through your body undigested.
Dietary fibre can help keep your hunger and blood sugar in check, per Harvard Health.
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Added Fibre
Also known as “functional fibre,” this type is added to foods during the manufacturing process, Cohen says.
“Types of added fibre include beta-glucan soluble fibre, psyllium husk, cellulose, guar gum, pectin, locust bean gum and hydroxyethylcellulose,” she says. “These fibre are either found naturally in foods or made synthetically in a lab and added to foods to increase the fibre content of a food.”
Added fibre may help with lowering cholesterol and keeping you regular, Ansel says.
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Soluble Fibre
Soluble fibre interacts with water to create a gel-like substance, Cohen says. It is found in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, barley, nuts and many vegetables, per Mount Sinai. It’s also known for its role in lowering cholesterol in the blood, per Cohen.
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Insoluble Fibre
This form of fibre doesn’t dissolve in water and is found in wheat products (especially wheat bran), quinoa, brown rice, legumes and leafy greens, per Harvard Health.
“Insoluble fibre works like a broom, moving food through your gut so it’s great for keeping you regular and preventing constipation,” Ansel says.
READ MORE: Fibre For Weight Loss: How Much Should You Eat? What Nutritionists Recommend
Benefits Of A High-Fibre Diet
Here are a few potential perks of going on a high-fibre diet, according to experts.
More fibre may help lower your cholesterol.
Foods high in soluble fibre, in particular, may cause at least moderate (0.20-0.40 mmol/L) reductions in LDL cholesterol (the “bad” kind), per a 2021 review in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases. “This gel blocks cholesterol absorption and whisks it out of the body, making it a powerful tool for anyone trying to lower their cholesterol,” Ansel says.
“Soluble fibre is so effective that consuming five to 10 grams a day has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol by five to 11 points,” she says.
It supports good gut health.
Loading up on fibre helps keep you regular (as in, pooping frequently), Cohen says. Keeping things moving also lowers your risk of constipation and diverticulosis, a condition where small pouches form in the lining of the intestine, she says. Fibre-rich diets may help improve your gut microbiome, per a 2022 review in Trends in Food Science and Technology.
It may lower your risk of certain diseases.
Getting more fibre in your diet has been associated with a lowered risk of dying from heart disease and cancer, among other serious health conditions, per a study on dietary fibre in The Lancet. High fibre intake is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, research shows, and it has even been linked to a lower risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer, per a 2020 study.
It helps you to feel full and may help with weight loss.
“Fibre promotes satiety and helps us feel full,” Cohen says. This is because fibre helps stimulate signals from the gastrointestinal tract to parts of the brain involved in appetite regulation, according to a 2024 review in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.
In addition to staying fuller for longer, if you’re trying to lose weight, increasing your fibre intake may be beneficial. In a recent 16-week study of 4,477 participants in the U.S., 62.5 percent of people who participated in a plant-based, fibre-rich eating program reported weight loss (about 3.2 kilograms on average).
Potential Risks Of A High-Fibre Diet
“Adults—typically those who are vegans or following a raw food diet—could run into problems with too much fibre or if they increase their fibre intake too quickly,” Cohen says. Having more than 40 grams a day is usually too much for people, leading to uncomfortable symptoms like bloating, gas, feeling really full, cramps, diarrhea, constipation and nausea, she says.
This also means that having a high-fibre diet may not be ideal for people with certain bowel diseases. In fact, a low-fibre diet may be recommended for people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBS) during a flare, per Mount Sinai. If you’re upping your fibre intake, be sure to drink plenty of water to avoid constipation.
Additionally, having too much fibre may also cause nutrient deficiencies of calcium, iron and zinc, Cohen says. “Fibre binds to these nutrients and prevents their absorption,” she says. If you suspect you may have a nutrient deficiency, consult your healthcare provider about lab tests and the best next steps.
READ MORE: PCOS Diet Plan: The Best Foods To Eat (And Limit) When You Have PCOS, According To Experts
General Guidelines For A High-Fibre Diet
“If you’d like to increase your fibre intake, start with small servings of fibre-rich foods to give your digestive system time to adjust,” Ansel says. This may mean sprinkling a few tablespoons of canned black beans on top of tacos before amping up to having a mixture of half beef and half beans. “Once that feels comfortable, skip the beef and try a taco made entirely with beans,” Ansel says.
It’s a good idea to drink plenty of water when you’re having lots of fibre, since fibre binds to water, she says. Otherwise, you run the risk of getting constipated or bloated.
Fibre supplements can be one way to increase your intake of the nutrient, but Cohen doesn’t recommend going this route if you can help it. “Taking a fibre supplement does not make up for a diet that is low in fruits, veggies and whole grains, or high in ultra processed food,” Cohen says. “Most published research on the health benefits of fibre were conducted in populations who consume foods high in fibre and not just supplements with fibre.”
The bottom line: If you’re looking to increase your fibre intake, start slow. Listen to your body and gradually increase things up from there.
This article written by Korin Miller first appeared on Women’s Health US. More
