7 Ways To Get More Fiber In Your Diet

“Although fiber is so important to our health, only about 5% of Americans meet their daily fiber needs,” Dahlia Marin, RDN, LD, CGN, CEO and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist at Married to Health, told Dailybreak. You can start first thing in the morning by adding psyllium husk or sunfiber to your coffee or smoothie, Marin recommended.

Start your day off right with a hearty serving of fiber for breakfast. Oatmeal, whole grain toast and some cereals (just watch the sugar amounts!) are all good sources of fiber. You can up the fiber more with nuts or seeds, fruits or veggies for toppings.

Chia seeds are a fiber powerhouse and are a great way to incorporate more fiber into breakfast and snacks. “Aim for at least 25 grams of fiber per day, and make it easy (and delicious!) by adding foods like beans, legumes and chia seeds,” Jennifer Rawlings, MS, RDN, CDCES, owner of My RDN Coach, shared with Dailybreak. “One of my favorite recipes is chia seed pudding — a quick, make-ahead breakfast that can deliver nearly half your daily fiber.”

Whether you eat entirely plant-based or love to eat meat, it’s still important to find ways to get more beans and legumes for good health. “Aim to have at least one fiber-rich food in each meal and snack,” Marin advised. Let’s start with lunch: add some canned beans or lentils to your salad, or mash up chickpeas and spread onto your sandwich. Make a quick pasta salad with your favorite legumes. “Simply adding 1/2 cup of chickpeas to your salad boosts the fiber by 7 grams. Add 1/2 cup of black beans to your next 'Taco Tuesday' meal to finish the day with an additional 8 grams of fiber,” Rawlings said.

As you’re planning your meals and snacks, make sure to incorporate a wider variety of fiber sources. “It is important to remember to include both soluble and insoluble forms of fiber to your diet, as each plays a distinct role in gut health,” Marin explained. Examples of soluble fiber include beans, lentils, seeds, nuts and oat bran, while insoluble fiber sources include vegetables and whole grains.

We all know we should be eating more fruits and veggies, as produce can provide many essential nutrients for our health. But fruits and veggies are also great sources of both soluble and insoluble fibers. Aim to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables daily to increase your fiber intake. Fresh, frozen and dried fruits and veggies are all good options to consider to meet your goals!

Healthy eating doesn’t mean ditching your favorite desserts. In fact, you can easily make your treats more nutritious by adding more fiber, such as by baking with whole wheat flour or incorporating more fruit into dessert. For example, try a whole wheat banana bread topped with oats, and serve it with fresh bananas and berries for a delicious, fiber-boosted treat.