Trend for eating more fibre has surprising benefits

Last year, many of us went on a protein craze in hopes of improving our strength and conditioning. But in the last few months, fiber has become a trending topic on social media; Only 4% of us get the recommended daily amount.

Videos of nutritionists sprinkling chia seeds on porridge and extolling the benefits of red kidney beans and chickpeas are filling people’s TikTok feeds.

The NHS recommends adults eat 30g of fiber a day, but most people in the UK don’t eat even close to this. Around day 16.4gaand women eat less than men.

Many nutritionists say the excitement about fiber isn’t a bad thing. Dietitian Kate Hilton explains that fiber has long been considered an “unsexy food” due to its associations with our gut and bloating, unlike protein, which has long been associated with exercise and keeping fit.

“When I first saw all the posts about fiber, I was pretty excited,” says nutritionist Kristen Stavridis. “I feel like the messages about gut health are finally reaching people.”

In addition to benefiting your gut, eating more fibrous foods like brown rice and jacket potatoes has other benefits.

“People with higher fiber intake “They will live longer, have less cardiovascular disease, get less cancer and have a lower risk of developing conditions such as diabetes,” says Kevin Whelan, professor of Dietetics at King’s College London, adding that some studies suggest it may also help our mental health.

Yeshe Sander, 24, from Birmingham, says increasing the amount of fiber in his diet to 30 grams a day has helped him feel “much better” physically and mentally.

He grew up with parents who tried to force him to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day and a fiber-rich diet, but when he hit his mid-teens, he decided to rebel.

“I wanted nothing to do with health food,” says Yeshe. “When I was younger, I ate huge amounts of chocolate, donuts and cookies.”

In college, his favorite quick meals included instant noodles with white toast or frozen pizza.

“It was only when I got a little older, in my early 20s, that I thought maybe they were onto something,” Yeshe says of his parents.

After feeling sluggish, low and unmotivated, she reexamined her diet and started eating healthier again. Yeshe noticed a difference after increasing her fiber intake.

“I can see it very clearly now: When I consume more fiber, my mental health improves,” says Yeshe, “and my anxiety and low mood decrease as well.”

Breakfast is her favorite meal, and she recommends eating porridge with a variety of ingredients as a way to get some fiber in the morning.

Dietary fiber is a chain of sugar molecules produced by plants and cannot be digested by humans. It is found in fruits, vegetables, grains, beans and nuts.

Whelan explains that the effects of fiber were first discovered in the 1970s, when fiber was believed to be the “hard roughage” that helped our bodies get rid of waste.

“We now know it’s much more than that; it has health benefits beyond the gut.”

Fermentable fibers in foods like oats and legumes enrich our gut microbiome by helping the growth of good bacteria in our large intestine.

Insoluble fibers found in whole grain bread, bran, and the peels of fruits and vegetables help our stool move through the intestines.

Viscous fibers, found in oats, seeds, and some fruits and vegetables, slow the rate at which sugar is absorbed and reduce sugar spikes in the bloodstream.

All of these different types of fiber, among others, help us stay healthy, says Whelan.

When talking about the health benefits of fiber consumption, Whelan points to numerous large-scale epidemiological studiesThis records the eating habits of a large group of people, as well as what diseases they develop.

Although other factors such as demographics, environment, and dietary awareness are not always taken into account in these studies, he says there are also clinical studies that suggest fiber provides health benefits for many parts of the body.

Some studies also suggest that a high-fiber diet may help improve mental health, Whelan says. A healthy microbiome, fueled by prebiotic fiber that increases healthy bacteria in the gut It can potentially reduce the risk of anxiety and depression.

“There is a two-way communication between our brain and our gut, the gut-brain axis,” he says. Clinical research suggests that some fibers, such as prebiotic fibers that nourish the microbiome, may help improve mood.

A surprising finding from Whelan’s research was this: Fiber helped improve cognition in people over 60.

Vicky Owens says that increasing her fiber intake has been a great benefit after last year’s health crisis.

As a business owner with little time for cooking, her diet consisted mostly of takeaways and ready meals.

Then the 25-year-old patient began experiencing unexplained symptoms, including panic attacks, stomach problems and swollen, itchy eyes, which she said baffled her doctor.

She began to re-evaluate her lifestyle and realized that Vicky was eating almost no fibre, after an acupuncturist suggested she change her diet.

He began cutting out overly processed foods; instead, she opted for fresh fruits and vegetables, whole-wheat pasta, and oats.

“He’s finally starting to see big benefits.”

“My skin is better, I have more energy,” says Vicky, “and overall I think everything is much more balanced now.”

Dietitian Hilton says small keys are a great way to add more fiber to your meals. Here are some ideas on how to do this:

• Substitute white bread whole grain bread with seeds
• Replace snacks like chips and chocolate almonds, kiwi and popcorn
• To add seeds, nuts, fruit or almond butter into your porridge or yoghurt.
• Substitute white rice brown or whole grain riceor go halfway
• To add avocado, hummus or salad to your sandwich
• If you want to start your day with cereal, eat something like this: wheat biscuits, bran flakes or bran bars

Here’s a sample meal plan showing how you can reach Stavridis’ fiber intake of 30 grams per day (note that fiber amounts vary by brand and serving size):

• Breakfast: Two slices of whole grain bread (7g fibre), sliced ​​banana (1.5g fibre) and honey
• Lunch: Baked potato (5g fibre), 100g baked beans (4g fibre), cheese, tuna, mixed leaf salad followed by a kiwi (2g fibre).
• Snack: One serving (20g) of popcorn (2g fiber)
• Evening meal: Minced beef bolognese with kidney beans (5g) and whole wheat spaghetti (6.5g)

Hilton says people in the UK consume a lot of ready-made and ultra-processed foods, which often don’t contain a lot of fibre.

“The carbohydrates we consume are generally not things like whole grains, and we rely more on things like meat rather than beans or vegetarian sources to get our proteins,” she adds.

Stavridis points out that the recent obsession with protein may also have affected some people’s fiber intake, with others prioritizing it over other nutrients.

While protein is important for our health, he says people need to “stop obsessing over protein and start tracking fiber” and make sure they’re getting an overall healthy diet.

While consuming more fiber is a good thing for most people, it is generally not recommended for some people with conditions such as Crohn’s disease and diverticulitis, and medical advice should be sought before any dietary changes.

Cara Wheatley-McGrain of Mindful Gut, a health company that supports people changing their diets, explains that going too fast can also cause problems.

“Increase slowly; if we suddenly make a dramatic change, our bowels ‘can’t last another minute’ and we may end up with bloating and constipation.”

And make sure you drink plenty of water, he recommends.

While Wheatley-McGrain is “really happy” that fiber is finally being taken seriously on social media, she doesn’t want to put additional pressure on young people who are constantly faced with different diets and eating regimes.

“We need to continue down this path so we can make the best choices for ourselves,” he says. “Slowly add some fiber to your diet, notice how it feels, and take it from there.”