Let’s be honest. Most of us don’t really think about our fibre intake unless, well… things aren’t exactly moving the way they should back there.
But here’s why you need to change that approach and make sure you’re getting the fibre you, and your body, really need. Fibre isn’t only about good digestion. It also supports your gut health, keeps you feeling fuller longer, balances your blood sugar, and even helps lower cholesterol. The takeaway? It’s an absolute game-changer for your health. Luckily, getting more of it really doesn’t have to be complicated.
We’re about to break down the ins and outs of why fibre matters, how much you actually need, and give you tips on the easiest ways to add high-fibre foods to your weekly meal schedule. We’ll even serve up some delicious recipe ideas for high-fibre breakfasts, midday snacks, and evening meals. Let’s get started!
Why Fibre Matters for Your Health
First of all, what is fibre? Well, it’s the part of plant-based foods that your body can’t digest or absorb. Amazingly, it moves through your system (the large intestine) intact, doing all kinds of clever behind-the-scenes work to keep your insides happy and healthy. Also worth noting, there are two types of fibre:
- Soluble fibre, which helps lower your cholesterol and blood sugar and also dissolves in water.
- Insoluble fibre, which keeps you regular by adding bulk to your stool which makes it softer and easier to pass (nice right?!).
Both of these types of fibre are important and you need them both working together to keep things ticking along. When that happens, you’ll get all the benefits they offer such as:
- Improved digestion: Fibre helps prevent constipation and supports a healthy gut.
- Better weight management: Fibre keeps you fuller for longer, which can help curb cravings and stop you accidentally overeating as a result.
- Heart health: Soluble fibre can lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol. High levels can lead to a buildup of plaque in the arteries.
- Blood sugar balance: Fibre slows the absorption of sugar, preventing spikes and crashes which will help suppress cravings, especially in the hours after a meal.
In short, if you’re looking for simple ways to improve your internal health, increasing your fibre intake is always a great place to start.
How Much Fibre Per Day Do You Really Need?
You might be surprised to learn that most adults fall way short of their daily fibre needs - probably yourself included! With that in mind, how much fibre per day should you be getting?
Recommended Daily Fibre Intake:
According to UK guidelines, the average adult needs around 30g of fibre in their diet per day. That’s based on a 2000-calorie diet for women, and 2500 calories for men. However, on average, most only manage to consume around 15-18g - that leaves room for an extra 50%!
Want a little piece of friendly advice? If you’re relatively new to fibre and planning to increase your daily intake, do it gradually and drink plenty of water throughout the day. This will help your body adjust and make sure things run smoothly.
The Best High-Fibre Foods to Add to Your Diet
Now let’s work on upping your fibre game with some high-fibre foods. And don’t worry, introducing these items into your weekly shop and meal rotation couldn’t be simpler. They’re foods you’ll definitely recognise and maybe just didn’t realise the extent of their fibre-ific benefits before!
Fruit
Raspberries, pears, bananas, apples, passion fruit, and avocado.
Vegetables
Broccoli, carrots, brussel sprouts, artichokes, sweet potatoes.
Legumes
Chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, pinto beans, soy beans.
Whole Grains
Brown rice, quinoa, oats, whole grain bread and other products.
Nuts & Seeds
Pistachios, almonds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, pistachios, and hazelnuts.
How to Get More Fibre in Your Diet
You might not realise it, but making even the smallest changes to your diet and the way you consume fibre can make a huge difference to your health overall. No need to completely change your diet, simply swap out (or add to)some of your regulars for some higher fibre options. We promise, you’ll barely even notice the difference - but your digestive system certainly will! Here are six simple ways to do it.
- Switch your white bread and pasta for whole-grain options.
- Add a spoonful of chia or flaxseeds (or any of the nut/seed options above) to your morning smoothies or after-dinner yoghurt.
- Snack on fruit throughout the day - and keep the skin on. We’re talking apples and pears, not bananas or avocado of course!
- Replace rice-based dishes with recipes including lentils or quinoa. This works great for both evening meals and lunchtime salad bowls.
- Feel fuller for longer and add high-fibre crackers or oatcakes instead of white bread to your lunch.
- Rather than dipping butter-soaked bread every time, bulk out soups and stews with beans or lentils. Hearty and healthy - especially in the colder months!
High-Fibre Breakfast Ideas
Whether you’re a spring out of bed type of person or a hit the alarm seven times type, getting a good breakfast into your morning routine is essential. It sets your body and digestive system up for the whole day so make sure you have plenty of quick, filling, high fibre foods and tasty recipes at the ready to keep yourself consistent. Need some inspiration? That’s where we come in.
- Overnight oats: fill a small glass jar with rolled oats, chia seeds, almond milk, and berries. Then, pop it in the fridge overnight for a breakfast that’s as filling as it is tasty.
- Whole-grain toast: Upgrade this morning meal with peanut butter and banana slices. This seriously delicious high fibre breakfast is destined to keep you feeling full right through until lunchtime.
- High-fibre smoothie: Blend spinach, flaxseeds, frozen berries, and oats for a tasty (not to mention aesthetically pleasing!) morning smoothie.
- Hydrating Beverages: Not into smoothies? No problem. Add a scoop of our green apple Hydration Plus Blend to 200ml of hot water instead! Not only will it make your breakfast even tastier, it’ll also improve your morning hydration levels and contains 3.7g of fibre per 100g.
- Greek yoghurt parfait: Cold, creamy yoghurt, crunchy granola, and fresh fruit (preferably raspberries) what’s not to love?
High-Fibre Meals & Snacks
High fibre foods may not sound delicious, but we promise they can be. Need some fibre-rich lunch, snack, and evening meal ideas? We’ve got you covered.
5 High-Fibre Meals For Lunch & Dinner
- Lentil soup
Add plenty of the veggies we suggested above and top it off with a slice of whole-grain bread on the side.
- Buddha bowls
Try mixing quinoa, chickpeas, and roasted veg with a crisp tahini dressing. It’s perfect for lunches but also makes a great dinner option.
- Stuffed sweet potatoes
Oven-roasted sweet potatoes are delicious enough on their own, but with black beans and avocado, it’s a whole new (and even yummier) dish.
- Whole-grain wraps
Fill yours with hummus, plenty of fresh green spinach, and grated carrots. Fresh, and filling, this is a fibre-rich lunch you’ll want to make on repeat.
- Veggie stir-fry
Forget white rice and substitute it for brown rice or soba noodles. Add plenty of veg from the list and enjoy every fresh, crunchy bite!
High-Fibre Snacks
- Roasted chickpeas, addsea salt or mild spices for an extra delicious kick.
- Homemade energy bars, mixoats, dates, and seeds for a sweet yet seriously healthy snack.
- Fruit + nut butter, if you ask us, you can never go wrong with fresh apple slices and crunchy, organic almond butter.
- Trail mix, throw in some almonds, pistachios, and dried apricots for a hit of sweetness.
- Popcorn, pop yours with air and dust with paprika instead of salt for a healthier (and we think scrummier) alternative. It’s the perfect, savoury, on-the-go or movie night snack.
Take It Slow & Feel The Benefits
High fibre foods might not be the flashiest element of your health and wellness journey, but they’re definitely one of the most important. The best part? Adding more to your diet is, we bet, so much easier than you first thought.
Start with one simple change, like swapping your sugary morning bowl of cereal for one of our tasty, fibre-filled breakfast suggestions, and build from there. No healthy journey is a sprint, it’s always a marathon, so take your time, stay consistent, and don’t get burnt out. Bookmark this page to refer back to any time you need, and be sure to check out our wellness hub for more tips and tricks to level up your health overall.