Are You Getting Enough Fiber? Most Americans Aren’t
By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
Most people worry about getting enough protein, but there’s another nutrient that should be top of mind for many Americans: fiber. In fact, nearly all adults fall short of the recommended intake.
This fiber gap is cause for concern, since low intakes are associated with increased risks of certain chronic diseases. Boosting fiber consumption may help protect against heart disease and type 2 diabetes, while also assisting with weight loss.
Fortunately, you don’t need expensive supplements or a complicated approach to following a 1200 calorie diet to reap these benefits. Keep reading to learn why fiber is important, how much you need, and how to meet the recommended intake.
Why Fiber Matters
Dietary fiber exists in plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. It has several important roles in the body, including supporting healthy digestion and bowel regularity. Fiber also feeds beneficial gut bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) that may promote metabolic health and protect against colorectal cancer.
What’s more, eating foods with fiber helps you feel full for longer by slowing digestion. This can help with weight management by helping you feel satisfied with meals and supporting steadier blood sugar. These mechanisms are also part of the reason why getting enough fiber may help prevent type 2 diabetes.
Finally, getting enough fiber may also protect against disease. Increasing intake of soluble fiber, particularly beta-glucan, has been shown to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.
How Much Do You Actually Need?
Current dietary recommendations call for at least 14 grams of dietary fiber for every 1,000 calories consumed—or about 28 grams of fiber on a 2,000-calorie diet—according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Yet most Americans consume only about 15 to 16 grams of fiber per day, falling well short of recommended intake. For perspective, one medium banana provides about 3 grams of fiber, which is why consistently including fiber-rich foods throughout the day matters.
The Easiest Ways to Eat More Fiber
While the fiber gap may seem daunting, closing it does not need to be complicated. Instead of taking a supplement or eating foods with lots of added fiber, shift your focus to whole foods that naturally contain this important nutrient. Getting started with a healthy diet meal delivery service, such as Healthy For Life Meals, is an excellent way to ensure you get enough fiber without the stress of planning and preparing meals. Our meals include a variety of vegetables, beans, whole grains, and other fiber-rich ingredients.
Here are some other realistic ways to boost fiber intake without too much effort:
Start your day with plants. Eat oatmeal with chia seeds and berries, add vegetables to your scrambled eggs, or make a green smoothie.
Choose beans. Use half ground beef and half black beans when making tacos, blend white beans into pasta sauce, and prep lentil soup for a week of lunches.
Snack smarter. Choose roasted chickpeas instead of chips and add fruit or veggies on the side of cheese and meat sticks.
Swap refined for whole grains. Instead of always serving white bread or pasta with meals, consider a side of brown rice, quinoa, or farro.
Small Changes Can Add Up
Getting enough fiber doesn’t require an overhaul of your diet. Small, consistent choices—adding more vegetables, choosing whole grains, eating beans more often, and reaching for fruit or other fiber-rich snacks—can add up over the course of the day.
At Healthy For Life Meals, we make those choices easier by building a variety of vegetables, whole grains, beans, and other fiber-rich foods into our meals. If you’re ready to spend less time planning and prepping and more time enjoying nutritious, satisfying meals, explore our meal plans and let us do the work for you.