Fiber & Your Gut

On Instagram a couple of weeks ago, I asked followers what my next blog post should be on and the majority voted on “Fiber and Gut Health”. The reason I’m choosing to address this topic is because there is so much clouded information about gut health and what things we should eat or take to ensure we get that all impressive intestine. First things first, my method is almost always food first. Supplements are great and have their place however, food not only serves the purpose of providing fiber into our diets it also offers nutritive value and energy for our bodies and more often than not it’s going to be more affordable to buy food than a supplement. So hang with me, learn about some fiber, & make the choice that’s right for you & your wallet. 
 
We always hear about how important fiber is in our diets, but why is it so stinking important and also… what exactly does it do? Many of my clients take the recommendation and just focus on eating more fruits & vegetables, but did you know there is some awesome dietary fiber in whole grains? I bring this up because in this anti-carb world we live in, whole grain or ANY grains for that matter get a really bad wrap. Dietary fiber helps with various health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, lowering cholesterol, weight management by slowing the rate at which food passes from the stomach into the rest of your dietary tract, resulting in feeling full and fiber rich foods tend to be lower in calories, AND with over digestive health and digestive issues. Fiber increases the bulk in your digestive system, and you guessed it- improves the number of those bowel movements (aka poops). So needless to say, fiber does some really great things for our health & gut function. 
 
Did you also know there are different types of fiber? 

For the purpose of this blog post, we are going to talk about two main types of fiber: insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fiber is found in fruits, veggies, nuts & seeds, and whole grains. This type of fiber adds to the bulk of stool and moves stool through the digestive tract helping us go to the bathroom regularly. 

Soluble fiber is different in that it dissolves in fluid in your digestive system and forms a gel like substance slowing the digestion and absorption of nutrients creating a feeling of fullness which helps to reduce intake (aiding with weight loss). This type of fiber can be found in flaxseeds, legumes, apples, citrus fruits, beans, oats/barely, carrots, and peas. It also helps to lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. 
 
Another key factor to mention with fiber consumption is hydrating adequately. Drinking enough fluid helps bulk that fiber and keep it moving through the your digestive tract. Often people start to increase their fiber intake and fail to hydrate properly leading to constipation. If you are going to set out to improve your fiber intake, take it slow and don't increase too much too fast because it can have negative complications to include constipation, diarrhea, bloating, and decreased appetite. 
 
As Americans we simply don’t get enough fiber due to our lack of fresh fruits and vegetables. Recommendations for fiber for women 50 years and younger is 25g/day & age 51+ is 21g/day, for males 50 years and younger it's 38g/day & age 51+ is 30g/day. A great way to get started is to try adding those whole grains and aim for 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Additional ways to incorporate more fiber include: chopping up veggies as a side or to add on-top of a salad, or inside a sandwich, blend frozen fruit and vegetables into a smoothie, add fruit to cereals, yogurt, or oatmeal, on top of pancakes or desserts, toss beans into your favorite soup or salad, or add oats to bread, baked goods, or even meatloaf. Once you start adding more fiber you may notice other health benefits simply because of your increase consumption of nutrient dense foods. Make fiber fun again!