Somewhere in the last year, fibre got cool. It's on supermarket labels, in yoghurt and snack bars, and it has even been added to soft drink. Your feed is probably full of people stirring chia seeds into everything and calling it "fibremaxxing".
It's easy to roll your eyes at a trend like this, but it's one we're finally happy to see! Most Australian adults are eating less fibre than they need, and fibre does a lot of quiet, useful work in your body.
The short answer: Most adults should aim for around 25 to 30 grams a day, roughly 25g for women and 30g for men.
Rest assured, it’s very easy to achieve with ordinary food, and you don't need a powder to get there. Below is what fibre actually does, why so many of us fall short, and how to increase your intake without spending a week feeling like a balloon.
What fibre actually does for you
Fibre is the part of plant foods that your body can't digest. Instead of being absorbed, it travels down to your large intestine, where the bacteria that live there feed on it. Those bacteria are a big part of why fibre is so good for you.
Along the way, fibre helps you feel fuller after a meal. Over the long run, eating plenty of it is linked with a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
There are two main types of fibre, and you need both.
Soluble fibre dissolves in water and turns into a soft gel in your gut. It slows down digestion, which helps you feel full, and it's linked with steadier blood sugar and healthier cholesterol. Soluble fibre is found in oats, barley, beans, lentils and the flesh of fruit and veg.
Insoluble fibre doesn't dissolve. It adds bulk and keeps things moving, which is what helps you stay regular. Insoluble fibre is found in wholegrain bread and cereals, nuts and seeds, and the skins of fruit and veg.
You don't need to track which is which. Most plant foods contain a bit of both, so if you eat a good mix, you'll likely cover it. Different fibres also feed different gut bacteria, and a more varied gut is thought to be a healthier one.
Why most of us fall short
Most of us don't eat low-fibre on purpose. White bread, white rice and regular pasta have had the fibre-rich outer part of the grain removed, so they give you much less than their wholegrain versions. Add a rushed breakfast and a desk lunch with no veg, and it's easy to end up well short without doing anything obviously wrong.
Surveys put the typical Australian adult intake at somewhere around 20-25 grams a day, which is only just slightly below the daily target of 25-30g per day. That's a gap of a few grams, not a complete overhaul, and a few wholegrain swaps and some extra veg can easily make up the difference.
Easy ways to add more high-fibre foods
Even though the wins here can feel small (and a bit boring), that’s exactly why they work.
Breakfast: Wholegrain cereal or oats is an easy start. Add a piece of fruit, or stir through a teaspoon of nuts, seeds, linseeds or LSA (a ground mix of linseed, sunflower seeds and almonds).
Lunch and dinner: Swap to wholemeal bread, and to wholegrain rice or pasta when you can. Add lentils to a bolognese, chickpeas to a salad, or a handful of frozen veg to whatever you're already making. Frozen veg is a weeknight hero: it's cheap, it's already chopped and it keeps.
Snacks: An apple with the skin on and a handful of almonds. A banana and some muesli and yoghurt. A small handful of air popped popcorn, nuts and seeds. Any snack with a bit of plant in it is a quiet fibre top-up.
Put it together and an ordinary day can look like this: wholegrain muesli with milk and yoghurt and berries, an apple and almonds mid-morning, a wholemeal chicken sandwich packed with veg at lunch, cheese, wholegrain crackers and cherry tomatoes in the afternoon, and a beef and mixed veg stir-fry with brown rice for Dinner. That comes to around 28-30g, with no powders, bars or special products.
Build up slowly, especially if you're starting low
This is the bit the trend skips. If you go from very little fibre to a lot overnight, your gut will let you know, usually with gas, bloating and some extra time on the toilet...(!!) Your digestive system needs time to adjust.
So go gradually. Add one new fibre-rich food every few days, and spread it across the day instead of loading it all into one meal. Drink water as you go, because fibre works best with plenty of fluid. If you find that something doesn't agree with you, ease back and try again in a week or two.
More isn't always better, either. Some people are sensitive to certain fibres and do best with a more tailored approach. Fibre supplements can help some people with regularity, but food is a better first stop. It comes with extra nutrients and a wider mix of fibres.
When it's worth getting some help
See an Accredited Practising Dietitian if fibre leaves you bloated or in pain no matter how slowly you go, if you have trouble passing stool, or if you'd like a hand working out where to start. If you notice blood in your stool, lose weight without trying, or your bowel habits change and stay changed, see your GP promptly.
Fibre is one of the less glamorous nutrients, which is probably why it took a hashtag to get everyone talking about it. A few steady swaps, added gradually, is all most people need.
If you'd like someone to look at what you're eating and point out the easiest changes first, our dietitians are happy to help. You can apply to be matched with a Dietitian on our team, here.
Written by Accredited Practising Dietitian, Bronwen Greenfield.
General information only. It doesn't replace advice from your GP or dietitian.