Fibre is now a popular topic, with many people talking about its importance for health. According to accredited dietitian and nutritionist Rebecca Gawthorne, “for a long time, nutrition conversations focused heavily on calories and protein, so it’s great to see fibre finally getting more attention online through trends like fibremaxxing.”
She notes that like many social media trends, it can sometimes oversimplify things. The goal shouldn’t necessarily be to ‘max out’ fibre as much as possible, but rather to consistently include a variety of fibre-rich foods across the day.
Fibre is the part of plant foods our body can’t digest and it’s incredibly important for our overall health, says Rebecca Gawthorne. It supports digestive health, helps nourish our gut microbiome, and plays a role in regulating our blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
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Fibre also helps keep us fuller for longer, which can support appetite regulation. Diets high in fibre are also associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.
The recommended intake of fibre for women is 25 grams per day, but the average Australian woman only eats around 20 grams per day, according to Rebecca Gawthorne. This might not sound like a big gap, but across a population it’s significant and can have implications for things like gut health and chronic disease risk over time.
A simple way to reach at least 25 grams of fibre is to include a source of fibre from plant foods at every meal and snack, says Rebecca Gawthorne. For example, for breakfast you could have wholegrain toast or oats with fruit, a salad with veggies and legumes at lunch and a dinner that includes whole grains, veggies and legumes in a meal.
Snacks with fruit, nuts and seeds can also help boost your fibre intake. Whole foods like vegetables, beans, lentils, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds provide fibre along with many other nutrients and beneficial plant compounds that you don’t get from isolated fibres added to processed foods.
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For most people, eating higher amounts of fibre from whole foods isn’t usually a problem, says Rebecca Gawthorne. However, issues can sometimes occur when people consume large amounts of foods with added fibres, such as inulin, or fibre supplements.
Rebecca Gawthorne recommends treading carefully with foods that have large amounts of added fibres and very high-dose fibre supplements, as they can cause digestive symptoms like bloating or gas, particularly if you’re not used to eating much fibre.
According to the report, for most people, fibre supplements aren’t necessary, and a balanced diet that includes a variety of fibre-rich foods can provide all the fibre you need. As Rebecca Gawthorne notes, the goal is to consistently include a variety of fibre-rich foods across the day, rather than trying to ‘max out’ fibre intake.