MOVE | BREATHE |NOURISH

September 2026

The Fibre Facts – And How Eating More Can Lower Your Risk of Chronic Disease

I don’t often start these blogs with facts and figures, but I find these ones really interesting and, actually, really important.

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Around 96% of adults aren’t getting enough fibre in their diets. I think we can all agree that’s a HUGE number!

 

But why does this matter?

Let’s jump straight in with some more interesting figures, backed by some pretty strong evidence, that I think might surprise you.

 

Increasing fibre intake is associated with a lower risk of:

• All-cause mortality by around 15%

• Cardiovascular disease and stroke by around 20%

• Type 2 diabetes by around 16%

• Some cancers by around 13%

 

I don’t know about you, but those statistics definitely make me want to eat more fibre!

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“But I eat fruit and vegetables, so surely I’m getting enough?”

Or perhaps you’re thinking…

“I eat porridge every day for breakfast, that’s got loads of fibre, hasn’t it?”

Or maybe:

“Whenever I eat more fibre, I get bloating, gas and digestive problems, so I prefer not to overdo it.”

 

I get it. I was right there saying all of these things myself just a few years ago.

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I was limited in the foods I ate because of digestive symptoms, thought I was doing pretty well because I liked fruit and vegetables, and enjoyed a bowl of porridge for breakfast most mornings (still do, but I’ve added so much more fibre, and other nutrients to my bowl) But when I started learning more about nutrition, I realised that even with all of those “healthy” foods, I wasn't necessarily getting as much fibre as I thought.

 

So, how much fibre do we actually need?

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The general recommendation for adults in the UK is around 30g of fibre a day. Now, this is one figure I really don’t want you to get too hung up on.

If you love measuring, tracking and meticulously recording what you eat, then go for it! But if you’re anything like me and prefer less faff and admin and more easy ways to simply eat more fibre, here are some things you can try:

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• Add beans and lentils to sauces, stews, soups and casseroles. (If you’re screwing up your face thinking eek I don’t really like them, don’t dismiss it straight away. Ive gradually introduced them in different ways and even have my youngest son on board with lentils in bolognaise)

• Add seeds and nuts to porridge, yoghurt, salads, vegetables and eggs. (Honestly, you can sprinkle seeds on almost anything!)

• Choose more wholegrains, oats, barley, quinoa, wholegrain rice & pasta, spelt (yep I didn’t know what spelt was a few years ago either but I LOVE it now!)

• Swap to seeded or wholegrain bread. (Sourdough versions are even better!)

• Experiment with wholegrain flours in your baking, such as wholemeal or wholegrain spelt flour, and add oats and seeds where you can.

• Add berries to yoghurt, porridge or overnight oats. Berries are a particularly good source of fibre compared with many other fruits.

 

But here's the catch…

If you don’t normally eat a lot of fibre, increase it gradually. Your gut needs time to adjust. If you suddenly go from eating very little fibre to eating loads, you might initially experience more bloating, gas or other digestive symptoms.

 

And that can leave you thinking:

“See! I told you fibre was a problem for me!”

 

But sometimes it’s simply that your gut needs time to adapt. Think about it like exercise. You wouldn’t decide to run a marathon tomorrow if you haven’t run for years. You’d build up gradually and give your body time to adapt. Your gut is no different.

 

Fibre is fermented by the bacteria in your gut, and increasing your fibre intake can help support a more diverse and healthier gut microbiome.

 

So rather than thinking:

“I need to eat 30g of fibre every single day.”

Try thinking:

“How could I add a little more fibre to what I’m already eating?” Even if you are doing some of this already, where could you add more?

A few small changes, repeated regularly, can make a surprisingly big difference.

 

And remember, this isn’t about finding one magical “superfood”. It’s about eating a variety of plant foods and gradually increasing the amount of fibre you get from things like vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds.

 

So let me ask you…

Could you find one simple way to increase your fibre intake this week?

Maybe it’s adding a spoonful of seeds to your breakfast.

Adding lentils to your favourite bolognese.

Opening a tin of chickpeas and adding them to your salad.

Or simply throwing a handful of berries into your yoghurt.

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What could you add?

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And if you want anymore help, inspiration and direction to get you properly on track and accountable please feel free to get in touch about Nutrition Coaching