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Dietary fiber is an important part of a well-balanced diet but many of us (honestly most people) don’t get quite enough. It may not seem like a big deal considering it’s not even a macronutrient but I’m here to tell you, fiber is the key to gut health!
Fiber is what all of your gut bacteria eat so it’s impossible to have a happy and healthy gut microbiome without it. Bacteria in your gut are a big part of both mental and physical health. They eat up fiber that we can't digest ourselves and produce things like short chain fatty acids, serotonin, and gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) which all play important roles in keeping your body and brain feeling and working their best. Eating a wide variety of fiber rich foods will make sure all of your helpful bacteria are well fed so they can do their jobs better and keep you healthy and happy!
Fiber can be found in fruits, veggies, and whole grains so make sure to incorporate plenty of these foods into each meal of the day to really help your gut thrive! If you need some recipe ideas check out the Good Mood Food day of recipes in the Freebies section of the site.
Keep in mind, the US guidelines for healthy people recommended amount of fiber for adults is between 25 and 38 grams per day, depending on body size and caloric intake, so get out there and eat your fiber rich foods!
Note: If you’re new to eating high fiber foods add them in slowly and drink lots of water while your body adjusts to moving a fiber rich diet through your system and as your microbiome changes to optimize your higher fiber diet.