Fiber, the fifth macro? Though it’s not a macronutrient like protein, carbohydrates, fat, and alcohol; it is a very important micronutrient. And because fiber plays such an important role in keeping our hunger and fullness levels in check, I recommend it being the one micronutrient (at least) that should be tracked daily. It is a micronutrient that is only in carbohydrates, and foods that are high in fiber are considered a complex carbohydrates which are fruits, whole grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables. They are complex because they are packed with micronutrients, like fiber, which means that they take longer to digest which gives us the feeling of being fuller longer. Complex carbs are typically low in fat and calories, so a good amount of them can be consumed without overdoing it on the calories.
There are also Simple Carbohydrates which contain mostly sugar with little to no nutrients, these carbohydrates are digested quickly and simply which lets our body use the energy they provide right away which can result in us feeling hungry again quickly after. Simple carbs are foods and drinks that have mostly sugar (ice cream, candy, sweets, etc.) or refined grains (white rice, white bread, bleached flour, etc.). These carbohydrates are typically highly palatable and high in calories, so they are easy to over consume on calories. But both types of carbohydrates have their place in balanced flexible diet, while complex carbs should be consumed most of the time, because of those great micronutrients, there is such a thing as overdoing it on the fiber(which I’ll get into below) which is where simple carbs can come in. And plus simple carbs are typically from the fun/indulgent foods that might be labeled “bad/unhealthy” but having them in mindful moderation is OK! Because they let us live our life without feeling restricted!
Anyways, back to fiber! The Dietary Guidelines for Americans says that our dietary fiber should be at about 14g/1000 kcal in our diet. This works out to being typically 25-35g a day for most adults. I’ll tend to have clients tell me that they felt extremely full one day to the point that they couldn’t meet their macros OR they will say the opposite in which they were constantly hungry all day, and it typically stems back to them checking that their fiber intake was WAY over (+45g) or WAY under (under 10g) which caused them to feel either really full or more hungry. But having the consistent 25-35g tends to make most people comfortable and everything constant 💩
Health Benefits of Fiber
Besides in help keeping our hunger levels in check, Fiber also has so many other great longterm health benefits:
- In regards to obesity: “Studies show that people who consume more fiber weigh less than those who consume less fiber, suggesting that fiber intake has a role in weight control”(1)
- In regards to Type II diabetes: “Populations with a high intake of dietary fiber have a low incidence of type 2 diabetes. Epidemiological evidence suggests that intake of certain fibers can delay glucose uptake and smooth out the blood glucose response, thus providing a protective effect against diabetes”(2)
- In regards to cardiovascular disease: “High blood cholesterol levels increase risk for heart disease. Dietary trials using high doses of oat bran, which is high in dietary fiber, show blood cholesterol reductions of 2 percent per gram of intake.Because every 1 percent decrease in blood cholesterol levels decreases the risk of heart disease by 2 percent, high fiber intake can decrease the risk of heart disease substantially.”(3)
- In regards to Gastrointestinal disorders: “Fiber, particularly cellulose from cereal grains, helps promote healthy gastrointestinal functioning. High fiber intake also helps in treating certain gastrointestinal disorders.Diets rich in fiber add bulk and increase water in the stool, softening the stool and making it easier to pass. Fiber also accelerates passage of food through the intestinal tract, promoting regularity. If fluid intake is also ample, high fiber intake helps prevent and treat constipation, hemorrhoids (swelling of rectal veins), and diverticular disease (development of pouches on the intestinal wall).”(4)
Overdoing It On Fiber
So while fiber has so many great benefits, fiber (like pretty anything) can have negative effects when too much is consumed. We live in a society where it’s common that people think if 30g of fiber is good then 60g of fiber is better! And that is NOT the case!
“Despite its health advantages, high fiber intake can cause problems, especially for people who drastically increase their fiber intake in a short period of time. If you increase your fiber intake, you also should increase your water intake to prevent the stool from becoming hard and impacted. A sudden increase in fiber intake also can cause increased intestinal gas and bloating. These problems can be prevented both by increasing fiber intake gradually over several weeks and by drinking plenty of fluids.”(5)
What Does A 25g of Fiber Look Like?
Having multiple servings of vegetables, 1-2 servings of fruit, and 1-2 servings of whole grains, legumes, and/or starches everyday should typically provide enough fiber to reach the recommended fiber intake for most adults:
- 1 Cup Chopped Broccoli (2.4g)
- 1 Cup Riced Cauliflower (5.3g)
- 2 Cups Sliced Zucchini (2.4g)
- 4 Cups Leafy Greens (3g)
- 1/2 Cup Blueberries (1.8g)
- 100g banana (2.6g)
- 1 Cup Sweet Potato (4g)
- 1/2 Cup Uncooked Whole Grain Oats (4g)
Total Fiber: 25.2g of Fiber (562 kcal 22P/114C/4F)
This can be easy example to reference that has a lot of natural complex carbohydrates that are relatively low in calories and fat. Looking at this example you can see 114g of complex carbs were used to make hitting the average fiber intake possible. So what does that mean for the rest of the carbs in someone’s macro goal? Some will come from trace carbs that are in protein (ex: milk, yogurt) and fat sources (ex: nuts, avocado), but this means that the rest can come from those “fun foods”/simple carbs. That means maybe adding chocolate chips to oats or using white bread for a PB & Banana Sandwich or having a scoop of ice cream at the end of the day or a slice of pizza with your salad.
There are NO good carbs and bad carbs. Everything comes back to proper moderation when it comes to counting macros for fat loss, muscle gain, or weight management.
What About High Fiber Packaged Products?
Typically my days reaching my fiber goal look like the example above, meaning that I’m hitting my fiber goal with natural whole foods. BUT there are some days that I am on the go, eating out, or just eating a meal that is less nutrient dense which means that I am allocating calories to some foods that have less fiber so I may need help getting in extra fiber for fewer calories. This is where high fiber wraps, tortillas, bread, and protein bars that have had fiber added to them come into the picture. A typical Quest Bar has 14-15g of fiber. High fiber wraps,tortillas, and bread can have 5-10g+ of fiber. These are great to incorporate on those days when hitting your fiber goal just seems to be harder because of either traveling or just eating more fun foods and having less fruits, veggies, and whole grains. And the number one reason why I suggest incorporating these on those days is for the fact that fiber keeps are fullness and hunger signals more in check, and having those in check will typically leave us just feeling our best.
So when I’m traveling I like to start my day with a high fiber protein bar because I’m not sure how much fiber I will be able to get throughout the day. Or If I have a big dinner planned, I will have a salad with veggies and maybe a high fiber wrap to really get a lot of my fiber met before the dinner. I’ve found that this typically helps me from overeating too, because I went into the dinner not feeling starved the whole day.
And with all that said, I don’t like having High Fiber Packaged Products on days I’m having an adequate amount of fruits, veggies, legumes, and grains because I will end of having TOO much fiber and feel extremely uncomfortable.
On another note, you may have heard about “Net Carbs” which have to do with how companies label products in regards to their fiber and sugar makeup and in turn CHARGE MORE for having less “Net Carbs” you can read more about that here. And on another note, here I have protein bar reviews with references to which ones are higher in added fiber and which ones are not.
The Big Takeaway
Review the The Dietary Guidelines for Americans to see what your specific micronutrient intake should be and know that it states that the recommended intake for fiber is 14g/1000 kcal in a diet. And know that EVERYTHING comes back to proper moderation when it comes to counting macros for fat loss, muscle gain, or weight management.
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References:
All quoted references are from: Insel, Paul, et al. Nutrition. 5th ed., Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2014. Pg. 168-169
With their information based off of:
(1)Slavin JL. Position of the American Dietetic Association: health implications of dietary fiber. J Am Diet Assoc. 2008;108(10):1716–1731.
(2)Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate.
(3) Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate.
(4)Brownawell AM, Caers W, Gibson GR, Kendall CW, Lewis KD, Ringel Y, Slavin JL. Prebiotics and the health benefits of fiber: current regulatory status, future research, and goals. J Nutr. 2012;142(5):962–974.
(5)Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate.