Your Gut Is Hungry (and Not for Biscuits): How to Get 30g of Fibre a Day
Toast for breakfast. A sandwich at lunch. Pasta for tea, with a few crackers in between. Sound familiar?
If your plate tends to be a lovely shade of beige, you're far from alone. Beige food is quick, comforting and easy when life is busy. The trouble is, most of it is low in fibre.
The UK guideline is 30g of fibre a day, yet most adults manage only around 18 to 20g. That gap matters more than you might think, and the good news is that closing it is far easier than it sounds.
In this post I'll share why fibre is so important for your gut, the two types you need, and simple ways to reach 30g of fibre a day without overhauling your whole diet.
Why fibre matters for gut health
Fibre is the part of plant food that your body can't fully digest. Rather than being absorbed, it travels down to your large bowel, where it feeds the trillions of friendly bacteria that live there.
Keep those bacteria well fed and they look after you right back. A fibre-rich diet can help with:
Regular bowels. Fibre adds bulk and softness, so things move along comfortably.
Steadier blood sugar. It slows down how quickly sugar reaches your bloodstream, which can mean fewer energy dips and cravings.
Feeling fuller for longer. Handy if you find yourself grazing all afternoon.
Hormone balance. Your body clears out used hormones, including oestrogen, partly through your bowel. Regular bowels help that process along, which is one reason fibre comes up so often when I talk with women about their hormones.
Heart health. Higher fibre intakes are linked with lower cholesterol and a reduced risk of heart disease and bowel cancer.
In short, fibre is one of the simplest things you can change to support your gut health, and the benefits ripple out far beyond your digestion.
Soluble and insoluble fibre: what's the difference?
There are two main types of fibre, and you need both.
Soluble fibre | Insoluble fibre | |
What it does | Turns into a soft gel in your gut | Adds bulk and keeps things moving |
Good for | Blood sugar, cholesterol, feeding gut bacteria | Regularity and avoiding constipation |
Where to find it | Oats, beans, lentils, apples, flaxseed | Wholegrains, nuts, seeds, vegetable and fruit skins |
Please don't worry about counting which is which. Most plant foods contain a mix of both, so if you eat a good variety of vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, beans, nuts and seeds, you'll naturally get plenty of each.
8 easy ways to eat more fibre every day
You don't need to give up your favourite foods. Small additions and simple swaps soon add up.
Sprinkle seeds on breakfast. A tablespoon of ground flaxseed or chia on porridge or yoghurt adds a few grams in seconds.
Add a tin of beans or lentils. Stir them into soups, stews, curries and pasta sauce. They barely change the taste and bulk the meal out nicely too.
Keep the skins on. Potatoes, carrots and apples keep much of their fibre in the skin. Less peeling, more fibre.
Go wholegrain, gradually. Swap to wholemeal bread, brown rice and wholewheat pasta. Half white, half brown is a perfectly good place to start.
Keep frozen fruit handy. Add a handful of frozen raspberries to yoghurt or porridge. They're one of the most fibre-rich fruits and keep for ages.
Snack on nuts. A small handful of almonds gives you close to 4g of fibre.
Add an extra vegetable to every meal. A side salad, a handful of spinach in your sauce or frozen peas with tea all count.
Check the label. Foods with 6g or more of fibre per 100g count as high fibre foods, which makes the supermarket shop a little easier.
What 30g of fibre a day actually looks like
It's easier to picture than you might expect. Here's a simple, plant-based example day:
Meal | What's on the plate | Fibre (approx.) |
Breakfast | Porridge with frozen raspberries and a tablespoon of ground flaxseed | 10g |
Lunch | Lentil and vegetable soup with a slice of wholemeal bread | 10g |
Tea | Jacket potato, skin and all, with beans and a side salad | 10g |
Total | About 30g |
No strange ingredients and no going hungry, just proper, filling food with a bit more colour on the plate.
Go slowly (your gut will thank you)
One gentle word of warning. If you jump from 15g to 30g overnight, your gut may protest with bloating and wind. Add a little more fibre each week and drink plenty of water, as fibre needs fluid to do its job well.
When eating well still isn't enough
Sometimes you can be doing everything right and your gut still feels bloated, sluggish or unpredictable. That's frustrating, and it's not your fault. It's often a sign that something else needs a closer look.
That's exactly what I help women with in my practice: getting to the root of what's going on with their gut, and building a way of eating that genuinely works for them. If that sounds like you, I'd love to chat. Book a discovery call here.
And if you'd like more simple gut health tips in your inbox, join my newsletter and get my free gut health mini guide straight away.
Frequently asked questions about fibre
How much fibre should I eat a day? UK guidelines recommend adults aim for 30g of fibre a day. Children need less: around 15g for 2 to 5-year-olds and 20g for 5 to 11-year-olds.
What are the best high fibre foods? Beans, lentils, chickpeas, oats, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, raspberries, pears, and vegetables eaten with their skins on are all excellent choices.
What is a beige diet? It's a way of eating built mostly around pale, processed foods such as white bread, pasta, crackers and chips. These foods tend to be low in fibre and plant variety.
Can eating more fibre cause bloating? It can if you increase it too quickly. Build up gradually over a few weeks and drink plenty of water to give your gut time to adjust.
Should I take a fibre supplement? Food always comes first, but a good quality fibre supplement can help fill the gap on busy weeks. If you have a gut condition or take medication, check with your GP first.
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