How much fiber per day is important for a healthy lifestyle?

Have you ever wondered how much fiber per day is good enough for a healthy diet? While fiber isn’t one of the macronutrients, it’s still an important part of the diet, and not adding fiber to your diet at all isn't wise.

However, most diets focus primarily on protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Therefore, other elements necessary such as vitamins, fiber, and other important minerals aren’t discussed at length.

It so happens that you need to know how much fiber per day is going to be enough to ensure you're able to optimize your diet and make it healthy.

But before understanding how much fiber per day is good enough, let’s quickly recap about fiber itself.

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What is fiber?

Fiber (Photo via Iñigo De la Maza/Unsplash)

Carbohydrates usually pass through the body after being broken down by the digestive system. However, fiber is one that the body is unable to break, digest, or absorb, and it ends up passing through the body almost intact.

It comes in two main forms:

Soluble fiber: This type of fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like substance in the gut. It can help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, as well as improve digestion.

Insoluble fiber: This type of fiber does not dissolve in water and provides bulk to the stool. It helps with promoting regular bowel movements and helps with preventing constipation.

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How much fiber per day is enough?

Fiber (Photo via Rachael Gorjestani/Unsplash)

Usually, fiber intake recommendations vary from person-to-person. It’s mostly recommended based on the age, gender, and physical activity levels of an individual.

Nevertheless, there are general guidelines that one can follow to know how much fiber per day is enough. Most adults are recommended to consume approximately 25g to 30g of fiber per day.

However, this is again general advice for how much fiber daily is going to be enough. But you have to consider your physical activity and other dietary requirements to understand exactly how much fiber per day is enough for you.

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What are the benefits of fiber?

Improved digestion

Fiber helps to keep the digestive system moving smoothly and can help prevent constipation.

Lowered cholesterol levels

Soluble fiber can help lower cholesterol levels by binding it with cholesterol in the gut and preventing it from being absorbed into the bloodstream.

Better blood sugar control

Fiber can slow down the absorption of sugar in the bloodstream, which can help regulate blood sugar levels.

Weight management

High-fiber foods tend to be more filling, which can help you feel full for longer periods of time and reduce your overall calorie intake.

Reduced risk of heart disease and stroke

A high-fiber diet has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke, possibly due to its ability to lower cholesterol levels and improve blood sugar control.

Reduced risk of certain types of cancer diets high in fiber has been associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer and other types of cancer.

Improved gut health

Fiber can promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, which can improve overall gut health.

It's important to note that different types of fiber may have different health benefits, and it's best to consume a variety of high-fiber foods to get the full range of benefits.

It’s important to learn the benefits of anything that you’re considering adding to your diet. Next, the final element to know after how much fiber per day is good for you is knowing about the sources of fiber.

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Here are some of the sources of fiber:

Sources of fiber (Photo via Kevin McCutcheon/Unsplash)

Whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, cereals, and whole-grain bread

Legumes such as beans, chickpeas, and lentils

Fruits such as berries, bananas, oranges, and apples

Nuts and seeds such as flaxseeds, almonds, sunflower seeds, and chia seeds

Bran such as oat bran, rice bran, and wheat bran

Vegetables such as carrots, spinach, broccoli, and sweet potatoes