How much Fiber per Day? (Here's How Much You Really Need)

You may have heard that we need to eat 25-35 grams of fiber per day. But what does that mean? How do you know if you're getting enough? And how can you tell the difference between soluble and insoluble fibers? This article will answer all your questions and more!

How much fiber should you eat per day?

There is no set amount of fiber you need to eat per day. However, the recommended amount of fiber that most people should be eating is 25-30 grams, which may be difficult to do if you're not eating a lot of vegetables and whole grains.

Your best bet is to try and consume a range of high-fiber foods with different types of fiber instead of trying to eat too much of one or two specific types.

The following are the average amount of fiber for select fruits and vegetables:

• 50 grams in 1/2 cup cooked spinach
• 45 grams in 1 cup cooked broccoli
• 38 grams in 1/2 cup cooked apples
• 28 grams in 1 large banana
• 25 grams in 1 cup blueberries
• 24 grams in 1 cup raspberries
• 22 grams in 1/2 cup prunes

Be sure to check your fruit and vegetables (plant foods) for added sugars. If you want to increase your fiber intake, try adding the following high-fiber foods into your diet:

• Beans
• Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale
• Fruits with peels like apples, pears, and bananas
• Whole grains like brown rice, barley, wheat berries, and oats
• Nuts and seeds
• Green beans
• Oatmeal

Include high-fiber foods in your diet throughout the day. Your body doesn't digest all fiber types at the same rate. Soluble fiber, for example, is broken down more slowly than insoluble fiber.

This means you should include a balance of soluble and insoluble fiber in your diet, so your body gets the most out of the nutrients.

What are the health benefits of eating more fiber?

Eating fiber has a lot of benefits for your body. Fiber helps you to feel fuller for longer, keeps your bowels healthy, and can even make you live longer. The benefits of eating fiber are enormous.

More energy

If you get more fiber in your diet, you will have more energy. You'll feel more energized for longer. This is because you won't be needing to eat as often. As a result, you will have sustained energy throughout the day.

Weight control or weight loss

If you are trying to lose weight, you will find that you lose it much faster if you make sure you're eating enough fiber every day. Fiber helps your body burn up calories faster. You will be burning more of your body fat for energy.

Fiber makes you fuller.

If you have fiber in your diet, you will find you don't go hungry for as long throughout the day. This is because fiber is packed with nutrients, and it takes a lot to digest these nutrients so that you won't feel hungry for a long period of time.

Fiber is great for your bowels.

If you regularly eat fiber, you will find your bowels are moving more regularly, and you will have much healthier bowels as you're eating plenty of healthy nutrients that help you function better. Fiber also helps you feel fuller, so you won't need to overeat. You'll feel you can satisfy your hunger with less.

Fiber makes you live longer.

Eating a lot of fiber will help you to live a long and healthy life. A diet rich in fiber will keep you fit, and you won't get as many diseases or illnesses as you would if you didn't eat enough fiber. Fiber can also help you feel you are living longer as you will feel your energy levels are higher for a longer period of time.

Fiber is great in the fight against heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure. Fiber can help you keep your cholesterol level healthy, so you won't get these illnesses as you're eating healthily and keeping yourself fit. If you're eating a lot of fiber, you will feel like leading a much healthier life.

Fiber is great for your digestion.

If you eat fiber, you will find you have a lot more energy, you'll feel better about yourself, and you won't suffer from constipation as you're consuming a lot of fiber foods. In addition, fiber is great for your bowels, and it makes you feel fuller, so you don't need to overeat.

Fiber helps you regulate blood sugar levels.

You will have a more even blood sugar level as you eat fiber, and you won't feel you are going up and down throughout the day.

If you have diabetes, you should speak to your doctor before you start upping your fiber intake. Eating too much fiber at one time can send your blood sugar levels very high, so if you're not eating a lot of fiber, you might find you need to up your intake slowly.

Fiber helps to have a stronger immune system.

A diet that is rich in fiber can help you to have a stronger immune system. This is because you have so much bacteria in your bowels that you need to stay healthy and strong. Fiber can be the best defense against illness and disease as you will be getting so many nutrients into your body every day.

High-fiber foods to include in your diet

Now I will give you a list of high-fiber foods you have to include in your diet.

Fruits

• Avocados (3.0 g)
• Bananas (2.6 g)
• Dried figs (4.5 g)
• Raisins (3.3 g)
• Blueberries (2.7 g)
• Apples, with skin (4.1 g)
• Oranges (2.9 g)
• Prunes (3.0 g)

Vegetables

• Broccoli (4.5 g)
• Cauliflower (3.2 g)
• Spinach (3.1 g)
• Brussels Sprouts (4.6 g)
• Kale (4,7g)

Nuts and seeds

• Sunflower seeds (1.8 g)
• Almonds (0.7 g)
• Sesame Seeds and Tahini (2.4 g)

Legumes:

• Lentils (6.3 g)
• Lima Beans (9.5 g)
• Peanuts and peanut butter, natural or unsalted variety with no added oils (1.6 g)

Whole grains

• Barley (7.2 g)
• Wheat Bran, whole grain bread, wheat bran, whole wheat flour, and rolled wheat flakes (9.0 g) [Note that you need to eat more than you usually do when consuming bran, or you will get the opposite effect.]

Dairy products

• Milk, skim (1.2 g)
• Yogurt, non-fat plain (1.4 g)
• Cheese: Cheddar cheese (0.7g), Mozzarella cheese [low fat] (1.5g), Parmesan cheese, grated or powdered (3g)

Meat

• Chicken, all-white meat without skin (2.1g)
• Turkey breast, all-white meat without skin (1.8 g)
• Shrimp, boiled or grilled (1.4 g)
• Pork loin, lean only (2g).

Be sure you are not consuming any of the following:

Foods you should limit

Wheat bran

Bran, wheat bran, and whole-grain wheat flour. You may need to limit the quantities you consume if you are consuming too much of these foods.

They can lead to increase blood sugar levels, excess gas and not be beneficial in the digestion process because they bind with digestive enzymes needed for proper bowel movements.

If you experience any discomfort after eating a large amount, you may cut back. Wheat bran and whole grain wheat flour can also lead to constipation if you consume too much because they bind with the digestive enzymes you need for your bowel movements.

Again, too much of this can be a problem, so you'll want to cut back if you're experiencing any discomfort after eating large amounts. If you are, you may find you'll need to add a little bit of fiber from another source.

Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits are good for you, but you may want to limit your consumption if you have stomach and intestinal problems. The high acid content of citrus fruits can aggravate both conditions. You may find you'll need to cut back if you're experiencing any discomfort. After eating a large amount, you may cut back.

Should I eat fiber supplements?

No, you don’t need to increase fiber by eating fiber supplements. However, it would be best if you ate a high-fiber diet for the following reasons.

• Your body can only absorb a certain amount of dietary fiber per day.
• The dietary fiber you eat is not digested in the stomach and small intestine.
• It is passed on to the large intestine for waste removal.

The fiber you eat is also not absorbed completely. However, bacteria in your large intestine will digest part of it.

You don’t have to add too much fiber because your body has to work hard to break down, absorb and pass out the remains through your anus. So the more you take, the more you have to excrete.

Conclusion

Fiber is essential for good health. If you're not getting enough fiber, your gut could be unhappy and cause some uncomfortable side effects.

We want to make sure that all our blog readers are healthy, so we've put together this list of tips on how much fiber per day you should consume to keep things running smoothly in the digestive tract. (Trusted Sources 1*, 2*, 3*, 4*)

Medically reviewed and approved by Nataniel Josue M D.