“Fiber is a really critical part of our overall diet, and the typical American only gets 5 or 10% of the recommended amount of fiber in their diet on any given day,” said Quinton.
As mentioned above, women need about 25 grams of fiber each day and men need about 38 grams, he said.
Beans and legumes are very high in fiber and certain fruits and veggies are, too. Lentils have 18 grams of fiber per cup, black beans have about 15 grams in 1 can, chia seeds have 10 grams in 2 tablespoons, barley has 6 grams in 1 cup, raspberries have 8 grams in 1 cup and a pear has 6 grams, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
This summer, you could make a bean and whole wheat pasta salad to up your fiber intake, or make some cold barley salads, said Camire. You can also lean into seasonal produce, she said.
Camire added that it’s important to spread your fiber intake out across the day and to consume different kinds of foods for fiber.
“The mistake a lot of people make when they decide ‘I’m going to make fiber a priority’ is they don’t give their system time to adjust. If you’re used to eating 15 grams of fiber a day, and you start eating 30 grams a day, the bacteria think they’re having a party and so you may have some gas and cramping,” Camire said.
You should start out gradually and slowly build up, she noted.
“Once you find the foods that you tolerate well and that you like, getting enough fiber won’t be difficult or expensive,” Camire added.
