Fibre Maxing

When Did Nutrition Get So Complicated?

Written by Ruby Mutimer (Student Dietitian)

First it was ‘protein maxing’; now everyone is obsessed with fibre, and the question on everyone’s tongue is: when did nutrition get so complicated?

Increasing fibre intake has become a huge trend on social media because of its many health benefits;
however, the positive side of this trend is that most Australians aren’t meeting their recommended daily fibre intake. But before you start adding a fibre supplement to your protein shake, it’s important to understand why fibre benefits your body, and why maximising your consumption all at once might not be the best route.

What is fibre?
There are two types of dietary fibre: soluble fibre forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract and
helps you feel fuller after eating, whilst also having a positive effect on your blood sugar. Insoluble fibre adds bulk to your stool and helps food move along your digestive tract. Both are beneficial for healthy gut bacteria.

Is more always better?
Despite the health benefits, increasing your fibre intake can lead to some uncomfortable side effects
such as bloating, gas, abdominal pain and bowel changes. This happens more commonly when either
increasing the amount of fibre you’re eating by more than 5g per week, or when eating fibre that is
rapidly fermented by gut bacteria (onions, stevia, dairy, apples).

So how do I increase my fibre intake?
The safest way is to figure out how much you are eating, and then increase this by 5g per week until you meet your daily recommended intake, which is usually 25- 30 g per day. Another tip is to make sure you drink plenty of water!

Some of the best ways to increase fibre in your daily meals are simple!

You can:
- Switch your refined grains to wholemeal (wholemeal bread, rolled oats, brown rice)
- Add some chia seeds or ground flaxseed into your porridge or overnight oats
- Add high-fibre berries like raspberries or blackberries into your day
- Add avocado to your sandwiches
- Enjoy a baked potato with the skin
- Add beans, lentils or peas into your soups, curries, or pastas (all these foods also contain protein!)

Always remember, if everything seems too complicated, baked beans on wholemeal toast gives you 17g of protein and 16g of fibre.

 If you're feeling confused and exhausted by all the food noise, we're here to help make food simple again and allow you to feel confident in nourishing yourself.