Nutritionist tips to add more fibre and plants into your diet

WHY DO WE NEED MORE FIBRE?

Everybody will benefit from more fibre. In fact, adding just 5 grams of fibre a day can reduce your risk of dying from chronic disease by 15%.

Fibre does far more than just “keep things moving.” It’s fuel for your gut microbiome—the trillions of bacteria that support immunity, hormone balance, mental health, skin and weight regulation.

Beyond gut health, fibre is a powerful protector. Fibre helps lower LDL cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease, and it also slows the release of food into the bloodstream, promoting steady energy and better blood sugar control. Plus, it keeps you feeling fuller for longer, helping regulate appetite naturally.

It is recommended to eat 30g of fibre a day (and 30 plants a week).

WHICH FOODS ARE HIGHEST IN FIBRE?

• Fruit (check what's in season). E.g. raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, pears (with skin), apples (with skin)
• Vegetables (check what's in season). E.g. Squash, kale, leeks, aubergine, peas
• Pulses. E.g. lentils, chickpeas, black beans, butter beans, edamame
• Nuts. E.g. almonds, pistachios, pecans, walnuts
• Seeds. E.g. chia, flax, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower
• Whole grains. E.g. oats, quinoa, whole wheat pasta, barley

TIPS TO EASILY (AND DELICIOUSLY!) EAT MORE FIBRE AND PLANTS:

1. START WITH SPRINKLES

Add seeds such as chia, flax, pumpkin or sunflower to yoghurt, porridge, chia pudding, salads, soups, pasta or eggs. 

2. SNACK SMART

Pair fresh fruit with nuts, seeds or >70% dark chocolate. Gut Bars are a great option too with 7.8g of fibre from fruit, nuts, seeds and wholegrains.

3. ADD LEGUMES TO AT LEAST ONE MEAL A DAY

Try lentils in bolognese, chickpeas in salads or stir-fries, white beans blended into sauces/pesto, or black beans in chilli. They’re cheap, filling and can very tasty! Shoutout to Bold Beans Co.

4. SWAP REFINED CARBS FOR WHOLEGRAIN VERSIONS

Choose wholegrain bread, oats, brown rice, quinoa, pearl barley or wholewheat pasta instead of white/refined versions. Same meal, more fibre.

5. MAKE COLOURFUL TRAY BAKES

Roast a mix of veg (e.g. peppers, courgettes, leeks, onions, carrots, cauliflower) with olive oil, salt, pepper and your choice of herbs and spices.

6. BULK UP SAUCES, SOUPS AND DIPS 

Blend cooked vegetables and beans into pasta sauces, curries, soups or even dips.

7. SWITCH UP YOUR SPREADS

Use hummus, guacamole, or pesto instead of butter.

8. MAKE DARK CHOCOLATE BARK 

Melt dark chocolate, spread on a baking sheet and sprinkle on your favourite nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, dried/fresh fruit and/or tahini and freeze.

9. EAT MORE DATES

Dates are delicious, hit the sweet spot and are packed with fibre. Add them to porridge, yoghurt or just fill with nut butter.

10. COOK ONCE, EAT TWICE

We love batch-cooking - cook once, eat twice is a great motto to live by. For example, cook a big batch of quinoa, barley or overnight oats for the week, roast extra vegetables in the oven, or cook a big bean-based dish and enjoy the leftovers throughout the week.

IF YOU NEED A HELPING HAND

Diversity of fibre is key for good gut health. If you need help adding a greater diversity of fibre to your diet, Daily Gut contains 4g of fibre from 12 different fibre-rich plants, as well as vitamin D, B vitamins, and polyphenols to fill the gaps most people miss from their diets.

If you prefer a snack bar, INDI's Gut Bar contains 7.8g of fibre from 20 superfoods in a delicious, chewy snack bar. 

IMPORTANT REMINDER

When adding more fibre to your diet, go low and slow. Your gut bugs need time to adjust—it’s like throwing them a big party, and at first, they might get a little overexcited and produce extra gas. But they will adjust over time.

It's also important to drink enough water to help fibre move through the digestive tract smoothly and to spread out your fibre intake out throughout the day to allow your microbes time to digest it.