If you want to improve your health, adding more fibre to your diet is an easy and effective step. That might mean trying healthier biscuit or cookie recipes or swapping what you usually eat for breakfast. Small changes can bring a range of benefits. Below are seven simple ways to boost your fibre intake.
Fibre is a type of carbohydrate the body can’t digest, so it moves through the digestive system mostly unchanged. It comes from plants—fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes—and exists in two forms: soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fibre dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance, which slows digestion and can help control blood sugar levels. Insoluble fibre doesn’t dissolve and adds bulk to stools, helping food move through the gut.
Eating both types of fibre offers many health benefits, including lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, and it can also help you reach and maintain a healthy weight.
1) Oatmeal
Oatmeal is made from oats that have been dehusked and either cut or crushed. It’s usually cooked with water or milk and is rich in vitamins and minerals. Its high fibre content helps you feel full longer and can reduce mid-morning snacking. Try adding fruit or vegetables to your oats for extra fibre. Oatmeal also works well baked into oatcakes, granola bars, or cookies. If you buy oatmeal online, you’ll find options like coarse steel-cut oats or fine/medium stone-ground oats and tips on how to cook them.
2) Swap unhealthy snacks
Unhealthy snacks are often high in calories, fat, and sugar and low in nutrients. Instead, reach for fibre-rich choices such as fresh fruit, raw vegetables, whole-grain bread or cereal, legumes, and nuts. Simple snack ideas include an apple, carrot sticks with hummus, whole-grain crackers, or a handful of nuts.
3) Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of fibre. Good choices include apples, pears, oranges, bananas, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, prunes, apricots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, and sweet potatoes.
Meal ideas that use these include:
4) Soups
Soups can be a great way to pack in fibre. Minestrone, with its mix of vegetables, beans, and pasta, is a classic example. Black bean soup is another filling, nutritious option—black beans add both fibre and protein. Other good choices are lentil soup and vegetable barley soup.
5) Salads
A salad is an easy way to add fibre at lunch or dinner. Start with dark leafy greens like spinach or kale, then add tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and peppers. For extra fibre and protein, add a cup of cooked lentils or black beans. Finish with a light dressing for a meal that’s full of fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
6) Brown rice
White rice is a refined grain and loses much of its fibre during processing. Brown rice is a whole grain and contains more fibre—typically about 1.8g more per serving than white rice. Brown rice takes longer to cook and has a chewier texture, so some people mix it with white rice. You can also try black or wild rice for variety.
7) Wholegrain bread
White bread is made from refined flour, which has had the bran and germ removed, stripping away fibre and many nutrients. Wholegrain bread uses the whole grain, keeping the bran and germ—and their benefits—intact. Swap in wholegrain bread for sandwiches, toast, or croutons to boost your fibre.
There are plenty of tasty ways to add fibre to your meals and snacks—at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in between. You’ll enjoy a variety of flavours while doing something good for your health.