Fibre: the overlooked nutrient that can transform your health

Fibre: the overlooked nutrient that can transform your health

It’s easy to believe that our future health is already decided. Genetics. Age. Hormones. Life. 
A quiet acceptance of “what will be, will be.” But the truth is far more hopeful and empowering. 

 

Our health is not set in stone. In many ways, it’s shaped by the small, repeated choices we make every day. And few choices are as powerful or as overlooked as fibre. 

 

Poor diet remains one of the single biggest preventable risk factor for ill health (1), and unlike many other risks, it’s something we do have influence over. What we eat can reduce our risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, while also supporting energy, mood, immunity and gut health. 

And yet, one of the most protective nutrients of all is missing from most plates. Fibre - 96% (2) of UK adults don’t eat the recommended 30g per day 

 

Fibre supports: 

  • weight management and blood sugar balance
  • heart health (especially important for women in midlife & men)
  • bowel health and regularity
  • gut health, immunity and even mood 

 

The good news? Fibre doesn’t require a perfect diet. 

It’s found in everyday foods: 

  • fruit and vegetables
  • beans, pulses, nuts and seeds
  • wholegrains like oats, brown rice and wholewheat pasta 

 

Rather than cutting foods out, start by adding: 

  1. an extra handful of vegetables
  2. a spoon of seeds
  3. a tin of lentils to soups or sauces 

 

Here are some other ideas of how you can easily add fibre to your day:

 

  • 30g (small handful of almonds) 4g fibre
  • 1tbsp chia seeds 4g fibre
  • Half a cup of raspberries 4g fibre
  • Half a cup of chickpeas 6g fibre
  • One cup cooked brown rice 3.5g fibre
  • 20g bag popcorn 2.2g fibre
  • One jacket potato skin on 4.7g fibre
  • Half a tin of baked beans 9.8g fibre
  • One cup of Edamame (soy) beans 11g fibre 

 

For every 7g of fibre eaten daily, the risk of heart disease reduces by 9% (3). That’s roughly the fibre in two slices of wholegrain bread - nothing extreme, just intentional. 

 

Building in fibre can be as simple as swapping your morning biscuit for a fibre-rich snack snacks like these hazelnut date bars 

Get the recipe here

 

Small steps, done consistently, can make a huge difference. 
So next time you eat, ask yourself - where’s the fibre? 

 

  1. The Health foundation, 2024REAL Centre    
  2. NDNS National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2019-2023, Gov.uk, 2025 
  3. SACN, 2015 Carbohydrates and Health 

 

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