How Much Fiber Should I be Eating?!
Both fiber intake and plant diversity are super important for gut health, immune function, vitamin and hormone production, and blood sugar regulation. So how much should I be eating and and how are plants and fiber even related?!
Eating a diet that is high in fiber is crucial for gut health, immune function, vitamin and hormone production, and blood sugar regulation. And where does fiber come from…? Plants! Pretty much any plant food you can think of (i.e. fruits, veggies, and legumes) contain fiber.
Not only is fiber an important part of any balanced diet, but so is nutrient diversity. Eating a wide variety of different plants is great for gut health and as an added bonus helps minimize any boredom you might experience when shifting to a healthier, more balanced diet. The more you can incorporate a variety of plant based foods into your diet, the more likely you are to increase your gut microbiome diversity. And diverse gut microbiomes are important because they further help support immune function, production of essential vitamins, and blood sugar regulation.
The more plant diversity in your life the better. Over time, you want to work towards incorporating ~20-25 different plants in your diet each week. If that feels like an impossible goal right now, think about how many plants you ate this week and next week try to add 1 or 2 more. Once you feel comfortable with that, add another couple and keep going until you’ve broadened your plant horizons.
For fiber, the recommended daily intake is 20-25 grams per day for women and ~35-40 grams per day for men. Your individual fiber needs depend on your current intake, age, and bio-feedback. Much like plant diversity, don’t feel like you have to go from 5 to 25 grams of fiber overnight; in fact that’s not advised. Try to slowly increase your fiber 5 grams per day for a week. So if this week you ate 10 grams per day on average, next week aim for 15 grams per day on average. Once you feel comfortable at 15, bump to 20 grams and so on! This will help you build the habit sustainably and also ensure that you’re not disrupting digestion with a massive fiber infusion.
And what does 20-40 grams of fiber actually look like when implemented into a balanced diet? There are a limitless number of ways to arrive at your fiber goals, but here are some parameters to help you get started:
4-5 portions of veggies
2-3 portions of fruit
2-3 portions of whole grains
1-2 portions of nuts, seeds, or legumes
Some of my favorite high fiber foods that help me reach my plant diversity and fiber goals each week are:
All the berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries)
Beans (black beans, lentils, chickpeas)
Whole grain bread
Apples
Avocado
Brussel Sprouts
Broccoli
Sweet Potato
Artichokes
Kale
Spinach
Edamame
Oats
Plants are the best; they provide fiber and other essential micro-nutrients as well as add volume to your meals without adding tons of extra calories. Start experimenting by adding in 1 or 2 new plant foods each week to boost your gut, immune, and digestive health!
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