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Most People Aren't Eating Enough Fiber — 7 Ways To Get More
Fiber is a unique complex carbohydrate found exclusively in plants. It plays an essential role in keeping you regular, filling you up after meals and snacks, and nurturing your gut microbiome.*
But about 95% of Americans aren't hitting their baseline fiber needs (which range from 21 to 38 grams1 depending on your age and sex). So most of us have a lot of room for improvement in the fiber department.
Here are seven easy ways to get more of this critical carb during the day:
Try chia pudding with berries
Breakfast is (arguably) the best meal to load up on fiber-rich foods that will surely keep you full and energized (while warding off unnecessary snacking) until lunch. And chia seeds and berries pack an impressive amount of fiber despite their small size.
One tablespoon of chia2 seeds and a half cup of raspberries3 provide 4 grams of fiber, each.
mindbodygreen's executive editor Hannah Margaret Allen combined these two stellar ingredients in this ultimate, dessert-like chia pudding that packs over 20 grams of fiber (which keeps her full for at least five hours).
Opt for a chickpea pasta
If you love a quick pasta salad for lunch or if noodles tend to be your carb of choice for dinner, then consider reaching for a chickpea pasta to basically quadruple the fiber you get per serving.
For example, 2 ounces of chickpea pasta4 (about a heaping cup of cooked noodles) offers 8 grams of fiber—quite a jump from the 2 grams of fiber from the same amount of white pasta5.
Chickpea pasta also has twice as much protein as wheat, and it's a safe choice for those following a gluten-free diet.
Snack on figs & nuts
Make your own trail mix at home by using mixed nuts and dried figs.
Each fig provides around 1 gram of fiber, so a serving of three to five figs6 quickly adds to your fiber count. Pair that with a quarter-cup of almonds7 for 4 more grams of fiber (as well as 6 grams of protein).
Overall, this combo makes for an ideal pick-me-up for when you need something to tide you over between meals.
Blend (whole) kiwis in your smoothies
This subtropical fruit is not only bursting with antioxidants and vitamin C but also fiber. Two whole kiwis will get you around 4-5 grams of fiber8—half of which is actually concentrated in the skin. But not everyone is a fan of its fuzziness.
So to reap the benefits and avoid the texture altogether, just toss a couple of kiwis in the blender with your smoothie.
Try a fiber supplement
Fiber supplements are a convenient way to ramp up your daily fiber intake. And even if you already eat a lot of plants, you could still benefit from this boost.*
mindbodygreen's organic fiber+ with prebiotic support provides 6 grams of fiber (in one scoop) from organic guar beans, green kiwifruit, and a trio of mushrooms. Together, these ingredients promote regularity, healthy stool form, satiety, healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and gut microbial balance.* There's also a probiotic strain (Bacillus subtilis ATCC122264) to help reduce gas and bloating.*
The powder itself is completely flavorless and readily dispersed in water, smoothies, and even coffee. It also mixes seamlessly into yogurt, oats, and chia pudding.
It's a no-brainer addition to any routine (even for children 4+).
Add lentils to your grain bowls
Yes, grain bowls are an easily customizable meal, but many people still gravitate to rice for the base. But rice (even brown rice) isn't the best source of fiber. A cup of brown rice only provides about 1.6 grams of fiber. Try lentils—or a lentil-rice mixture—to enhance the fiber content of this meal.
A half-cup of cooked lentils provides a whopping 8 grams of fiber9 (not to mention 9 grams of protein). A good portion of that fiber comes from gut-friendly prebiotics. The best part is you can prep them in bulk to have on hand for meals throughout the week.
Eat a pear salad
Pears are another fruit that's sneakily high in fiber: One medium pear has 5-6 grams of fiber10. While you can always munch on this fruit as a snack, try adding it to a salad to make a meal of it.
Try it with kale (that has about 1 gram of fiber per cup), some goat cheese, grilled chicken, and your favorite vinaigrette. This will become a lunchtime favorite in no time.
The takeaway
Carbs often get a bad rap, but fiber-rich ones are severely lacking in many people's diets. Fiber helps keep you on a regular bathroom schedule and keeps hunger pains at bay.* Just a few small tweaks to your meals and snacks can significantly bump up your daily fiber intake.
And know that you can always lean on a high-quality fiber supplement like organic fiber+ with prebiotic support for additional support.*
10 Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK56068/table/summarytables.t4/?report=objectonly
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170554/nutrients
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/167755/nutrients
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/2279609/nutrients
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169736/nutrients
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/2344699/nutrients
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/1866299/nutrients
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/1102667/nutrients
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/172421/nutrients
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/2344749/nutrients
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