Why Is Fiber Important and How To Eat More High-Fiber Foods background image
January 17, 2022

Why Is Fiber Important and How To Eat More High-Fiber Foods

Dr. Thomas Wnorowski profile image

Dr. Thomas Wnorowski

PhD, CNCC, Clinical Nutrition Researcher & Biomedical Nutritionist

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You probably know that you need a balance of protein, healthy fat, and carbohydrates with each meal – these are your macronutrients. But what about fiber? We don’t classify fiber as a macronutrient because we don’t actually absorb it into the body. In fact, we can’t even really digest fiber on our own. But our microbiome can. And that’s where some of the best benefits of fiber come in. 

In this article, we’ll break down (pun intended) fiber and how it benefits our gut health (and heart/metabolic health too!). We’ll cover the different types of fiber, soluble vs. insoluble fiber, how much fiber you actually need, and some high-fiber foods you can prioritize in your diet. 

Table of Contents: 

What Is Dietary Fiber?

Dietary fiber comes in many different types, but all fibers are plant-based carbohydrates that encourage healthy bowel movements by bulking up stool. Many kinds of fiber also absorb toxins and byproducts of digestion and provide fuel for our gut bacteria [1]. 

Unlike protein and fat, dietary fiber can not be broken down by our digestive enzymes and goes completely unabsorbed in its journey through the small intestine. Once it gets to the large intestine, our microbiome has the ability to break it down and use it as fuel for producing some of the nutrients we need, like vitamins and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).

A few kinds of fiber include:

  • Fructo-oligosaccharides
  • Galacto-oligosaccharides
  • Inulin
  • Cellulose
  • Resistant starch.

Along with these specific types, we can split dietary fiber into two main categories: soluble and insoluble fiber.

Soluble vs. Insoluble Fiber

Soluble fiber refers to fiber that dissolves in water and some soluble fibers act as a thickener – whatever liquid you add it to will take on a gel-like quality. This property makes soluble fiber especially helpful for soothing the gastrointestinal lining and encouraging GI motility. 

It’s soluble fiber that has the most benefits for human health, largely by providing fuel for the probiotic bacteria in the colon that create beneficial nutrients like SCFAs. 

Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water, which makes it even slower to move through the digestive tract. Comparatively, we don’t want to ingest too much insoluble fiber to avoid possible constipation. Insoluble fiber also doesn’t provide as great of a food source for our microbiome as soluble fiber does [2]. 

The Importance of Fiber for Gut Health

Fiber intake has an undeniable impact on gut health, based on its contribution to the microbiome alone. All prebiotics, foods that support the probiotic microorganisms in the gut, are fibrous foods (but not all fibers are prebiotics). We can strategically consume more prebiotic fibers to support a healthy microbiome. 

Improving gut motility is also extremely important for overall health, which fiber can help with (if used correctly, as we’ll discuss below). When constipation is an issue, the body ends up absorbing and reabsorbing toxins and waste that simply sits in the colon. This causes symptoms like gas, bloating, and indigestion, and it impairs mental health too. 

Besides nourishing the microbiome and preventing constipation, you get a variety of different nutrients when you consume a variety of different fibers, since good sources of fiber include colorful fruits, vegetables, starches, and whole grains. 

Benefits of a High-Fiber Diet

Let’s dig into some more specific benefits of eating a high-fiber diet.

Can Help Relieve Constipation

Research on whether fiber really helps with constipation is mixed, despite it typically being the first recommendation most doctors give for the issue. Whether fiber actually improves transit time seems to go back to the soluble vs. insoluble categories. Soluble fiber, with its water-absorption ability, is much better for encouraging motility since it draws water into the intestine and the stool, making it easier to pass. 

Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, becomes more of an obstacle as it hardens stool, making it uncomfortable and difficult for peristalsis (intestinal muscle contractions) to move waste along the digestive tract. 

A study comparing the laxative effects of wheat bran and psyllium showed this difference between insoluble fiber (wheat bran) and soluble fiber (psyllium) in patients with chronic idiopathic constipation. They found that gel-forming psyllium was 3.4 times more effective than insoluble wheat bran for increasing stool output [3]. Psyllium is also well-known for having a soothing effect on the gut lining. 

So, fiber may help improve constipation in some people, but it all depends on the type of fiber. Constipation can also have many other causes, such as nervous system dysregulation, a lazy vagus nerve, neurotransmitter deficiencies, and more. Consult with your doctor to find a solution that’s right for you.

Protects Against Intestinal Illness

Research shows that consuming a high-fiber diet is protective against developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) – specifically, a diet with about 24 grams of fiber per day decreased the risk of Crohn’s disease development by 40% [4]. The study noted that fiber from fruit was particularly beneficial. 

Another review discussed the potential of fiber to relieve symptoms for patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Again, the type of fiber is very important for IBS patients to consider. Some types of fiber, like fermentable oligosaccharides, can cause gas and bloating, symptoms that those with IBS are often predisposed to. However, a long-chain, viscous, soluble fiber like psyllium does not produce much gas and is typically much more well-tolerated by IBS patients [5]. 

Supports the Microbiome

Humans by themselves hardly have any digestive enzymes to break down fiber, but the bacteria species in our microbiome do. And many of them are able to break down that fiber and use it to produce short-chain fatty acids, which are critical for gut health, liver health, brain health and more [6, 7]. 

Butyrate is one of these short-chain fatty acids, and it is critical for maintaining the cells lining the gut wall (colonocytes), supporting a healthy inflammatory response in the gut, supporting healthy DNA and brain function, among many other benefits.* 

Supports Metabolic Health 

Fiber doesn’t just support gut health, it helps with a laundry list of metabolic functions [8], including: 

  • Improves insulin sensitivity
  • Lowers risk of heart disease
  • Lowers risk of obesity
  • Stabilizes blood pressure
  • Lowers serum cholesterol
  • Enhances weight loss. 

Basically, fiber is a superfood, and you might need more of it in your daily diet. 

How Much Fiber Do You Need?

The fiber recommendation for children and adults is 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories [9]. So for most adults this translates to between 25-38 grams per day. Everyone’s body and digestion is different, so your personal needs may be more or less than that range. 

For a mental image, eight bananas = 25 grams of fiber. But all foods have different fiber counts, and you should always aim for a variety of different plant foods in your diet. Most plant foods have a mix of soluble and insoluble fiber as well.

You’ll generally know if you’re getting enough fiber by the way you feel. Are your meals satisfying, keeping you full for 3-4 hours during the day? Is your digestion and gut motility regular (at least one BM per day)? If so, you’re golden. If not, maybe try adding a little more fiber to your meals (slowly!).

Foods High in Fiber

There are tons of tasty high-fiber foods you can incorporate into your diet. Here are some of them that pack a big punch.

Vegetables

  • 1 artichoke, 8.7 grams
  • Acorn squash, 1 cup cooked, 9 grams
  • Green peas, 1 cup cooked, 8.8 grams
  • Broccoli, 1 cup cooked, 5 grams
  • 1 medium potato, 4.7 grams
  • 1 medium sweet potato, 3.9 grams

Fruits

  • Figs, 1 cup dried, 14.6 grams
  • 1 medium avocado, 13 grams
  • Coconut flour, ¼ cup, 10 grams
  • Raspberries, 1 cup, 8 grams
  • Blackberries, 1 cup, 7.6 grams
  • 1 large apple, 5.4 grams
  • Almonds, ¼ cup, 4.5 grams

Legumes/Lentils

  • Split peas, 1 cup cooked, 16.3 grams
  • Lentils, 1 cup cooked, 15.6 grams
  • Black beans, 1 cup cooked, 15 grams
  • Mung beans, 1 cup cooked, 15 grams
  • Chickpeas/garbanzo beans, 1 cup cooked, 14 grams
  • Lima beans, 1 cup cooked, 13.2 grams
  • Kidney beans, 1 cup cooked, 11 grams

Grains

  • Oats, 1 cup cooked, 4 grams
  • Wheat bran, 1 cup, 25 grams (But remember, this can be difficult to digest!)
  • Brown rice, 1 cup cooked, 3.5 grams

How to Eat More Fiber Every Day

When it comes to packing a lot of fiber in a small package, beans and legumes are your fiber superstars. Just one cup of cooked lentils has over 15 grams of fiber! If you can fit a couple servings of beans or lentils into your diet each day alongside several different fruits and vegetables, you’re almost guaranteed to hit your fiber quota for the day. 

So next time you need a snack, why not munch on some chickpeas? Even if you lightly roast them, half a cup of chickpeas still has 6 grams of fiber. Even better if you can eat them boiled or straight from the can (a little bit of olive oil or Balance Oil, salt, and garlic powder or other seasoning goes a long way here). 

And are you as excited as we are to learn that one avocado has 13 grams of fiber, in addition to its healthy fat status? More avo for us, please! Coconut flour is another great high-fiber option, since it can be used as a substitute for regular flour in pancakes or in a mix of gluten-free flours for muffins, cakes, and other fiberful baked goods. And with over 5 grams of fiber, it looks like an apple a day really could help keep the doctor away. 

Adding more fiber to your diet is often a matter of planning. Make sure to have high-fiber foods on hand and add them to your meals and snacks. 

The Bottom Line on Fiber

It’s not trendy, but fiber is a kind of superfood. The trick with fiber is finding the right kinds and quantity that supports your digestion without causing any side effects. On that note, you might have some ups and downs in your digestion while increasing your fiber intake, but everything should even out within a week or two. If it gets really uncomfortable, you can always decrease your intake for several days until symptoms subside, then try increasing again. 

If you have gut issues like constipation or slow motility, bloating, or IBS, psyllium fiber (often sold in powder or capsules) may be a good therapeutic option. Incorporating resistant starches into your diet can also help your butyrate-producing bacteria up their game and support a robust microbiome.

Click here to learn 10 benefits of butyrate for total body health.

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Comprehensive Guide to Butyrate: What it is, Benefits, Side Effects, & More

Butyrate is a necessary component to a balanced microbiome, also working as an inflammation guard*. One of several, short-chain fatty acids created from fermented resistant starches, low butyrate levels have been associated with serious health concerns.

Butyrate and IBS: What Your Gut Cells Actually Need
Ashley Palmer | 04.24.2026

Butyrate and IBS: What Your Gut Cells Actually Need

You've tried the probiotics. You've cleaned up your diet. You're doing everything you're supposed to do, and your gut still isn't cooperating.

If you have IBS, that frustration is familiar. Bloating, urgency, unpredictable mornings, the constant guessing game of what's going to set things off.

What often gets missed in the conversation around IBS isn't a trendy new supplement or a stricter elimination diet. It's something more foundational: what your gut's own cells actually need to function.

Here's a closer look at what butyrate does, why IBS and low butyrate levels are closely linked, and how supporting the gut at the cellular level can make a difference.

Table of Contents:

  • Understanding Butyrate

  • How Butyrate Works in the Gut

  • Why This Becomes an Issue for People With IBS

  • Supporting the Body More Effectively

  • Butyrate, IBS, and the Cellular Health Connection

  • How Butyrate Supports IBS Comfort Long-Term

Understanding Butyrate

Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) produced in the colon when beneficial gut bacteria ferment dietary fiber, specifically resistant starch. It belongs to a class of compounds called postbiotics, the functional byproducts of a healthy microbiome.

Unlike probiotics, which are living bacteria, butyrate is a metabolite. It's a compound your body puts to work directly at the cellular level. Understanding the difference between probiotics and postbiotics, like butyrate, is a useful shift you can make when thinking about gut health.

Why the Body Relies on Butyrate

Your colon is lined with specialized cells called colonocytes. These cells run almost entirely on butyrate, providing up to 90% of their energy needs.

When colonocytes have what they need, they do their job well. They maintain the integrity of the gut lining, regulate what passes into the bloodstream, support a healthy inflammatory response, and help keep gut motility on track. Without enough butyrate, the gut’s main source of energy, the gut simply can't do its job well.

How Butyrate Works in the Gut

Butyrate supports three interconnected systems in the gut: the gut lining, the immune environment, and gut motility.

The gut lining is just one cell layer thick. Butyrate fuels those cells and supports the tight junctions between them, the structural connections that keep the barrier intact and functioning.

At the immune level, butyrate helps the body maintain a balanced inflammatory response in the colon without triggering overactivation. And because it directly influences the rhythmic contractions that move contents through the digestive tract, it plays a meaningful role in the irregular patterns that so many people with IBS experience.

What Happens When Butyrate Levels Are Supported vs. Strained

When butyrate is available in adequate amounts, the gut lining stays resilient, motility is more regular, and digestive comfort improves, whether you have a diagnosis of IBS or not.

If butyrate levels fall short, the gut barrier may become less stable, motility can become unpredictable, and the colon's immune environment may shift. How pronounced these patterns are varies from person to person. Diet, stress, genetics, and microbiome composition all play a role in your body’s patterns too.

Why This Becomes an Issue for People With IBS

Modern Stressors on Butyrate Production

Butyrate is made by gut bacteria that ferment resistant starch, a type of fiber found in foods like cooked and cooled potatoes, legumes, and underripe bananas. The modern diet is low in these foods. That means many people simply aren't giving their gut bacteria the raw materials they need to produce adequate butyrate levels.

Antibiotic use, chronic stress, and certain medications can also reduce the population of butyrate-producing bacteria in the colon. Over time, that compounds the butyrate production gap.

Why Common Approaches Often Fall Short

Probiotics can be a valuable part of gut health support, but most probiotic strains are not butyrate-producing species. They can shift the microbiome, but they don't directly address the fuel shortage that many IBS-related symptoms may stem from.

Fiber-based approaches come with a similar challenge. In some people with IBS, increasing fermentable fiber can worsen bloating and gas before it helps, because a disrupted microbiome may not efficiently use that fiber to make butyrate.

Since butyrate works at the cellular level, the signs of low butyrate can overlap common IBS symptoms, which is part of why the connection between the two gets overlooked.

Supporting the Body More Effectively

Foundational Support for Butyrate Production

Diet is the first step to improving the body's natural butyrate production. Foods high in resistant starch give butyrate-producing bacteria what they need to function properly.

Foods that naturally support butyrate production include cooked and cooled rice, potatoes, and legumes. A steady intake of resistant starch over time does more for the microbiome than occasional high-fiber days followed by low-fiber ones.

Stress management and adequate sleep can also support a more stable gut environment. Chronic stress directly affects microbiome composition and motility through the gut-brain axis. 

When Targeted Butyrate Support Makes Sense

For people whose microbiome is disrupted or whose diet can't consistently provide enough resistant starch, direct butyrate supplementation is another option for long-term support.*

Supplemental butyrate delivers the short-chain fatty acid directly to the colon, where colonocytes can put it to use.* Clinical research has shown that sodium butyrate supplementation is associated with improvements in abdominal comfort and bowel regularity in people with IBS.

Sodium butyrate and calcium magnesium butyrate are both effective options, and the differences between which works best for your body often come down to your individual health history and mineral needs.*

Butyrate, IBS, and the Cellular Health Connection

IBS is complex, and its causes vary from person to person. But one consistent finding in the research is that people with IBS tend to have lower levels of butyrate-producing bacteria and overall reduced short-chain fatty acids in the gut. That points to a cellular resource problem as much as a microbiome problem.

When the cells lining the colon are undersupported, the entire digestive environment becomes less stable. Gut barrier function, motility, immune signaling, and communication along the gut-brain axis all depend on colonocytes having what they need to function.

Supporting the gut at the cellular level is not a replacement for other gut health practices (whole food probiotics, exercise, etc.). It’s the foundation that makes those practices more effective. When your cells are supported, the body functions more efficiently as a whole.

How Butyrate Supports IBS Comfort Long-Term

IBS can feel like a moving target, and the path toward better digestive comfort is rarely a straight line or a quick fix. Supporting your gut at the cellular level creates a more stable foundation, and that starts with making sure colonocytes have the fuel they need.*

Butyrate works best as part of a consistent approach that includes diet, lifestyle, and targeted support where needed. Progress tends to be gradual, and that's expected. It reflects the time it takes for the gut lining to strengthen and the microbiome to rebalance.

IBS makes a lot more sense when you know what the gut's cells actually need. And that clarity is often where real progress begins.

Support your gut at the cellular level with BodyBio Butyrate.*

How Sugar and Stress Impact Gut Health (and How to Support It During the Holidays)
Ashley Palmer | 11.25.2025

How Sugar and Stress Impact Gut Health (and How to Support It During the Holidays)

Between the office party appetizers, your aunt's famous cookies, and that second or third glass of wine at dinner, your gut is working overtime this holiday season. Add in travel stress, family dynamics, and back-to-back celebrations, and you've got the perfect storm for digestive chaos. Your microbiome gets thrown off balance, bloating kicks in, and suddenly, you're fighting to recover while the next event looms ahead on the calendar.

But you don't have to choose between enjoying the holidays and feeling good. A few simple habits and smart supplement support like butyrate can keep your gut balanced and your energy steady, even when you're indulging more than usual.*

Table of Contents:

  • How Sugar Disrupts Gut Health

  • The Stress-Gut Connection

  • Alcohol's Role in Gut Imbalance

  • Supporting Your Gut During the Holidays

  • Butyrate Q&A: Your Holiday Gut Support Ally

  • Keep Your Gut (and Holidays) Happy

How Sugar Disrupts Gut Health

Sugar is everywhere during the holidays, from dessert spreads to seasonal lattes. And while your taste buds are celebrating, your gut (and metabolism) is dealing with the consequences.

Refined Sugar and the Microbiome

When you're eating more holiday cookies and desserts than usual, certain bacteria in your gut that love simple carbohydrates start to flourish. This temporary shift can show up as stronger cravings, more bloating, or mood changes, which may help explain why you keep going back to the cookie tray.

When this imbalance sticks around, it can affect your gut barrier (the protective lining that keeps your gut contents where they belong). When that barrier gets compromised, bacterial byproducts (waste and toxins produced by bacteria) slip into your bloodstream and trigger inflammation throughout your body. Since at least 70-80% of your immune system lives in your gut, keeping this barrier strong is especially important during the holidays when you're more susceptible to seasonal bugs. 

This systemic inflammation can even show up as breakouts or dull skin, another reminder of how deeply your gut health affects your whole body.

Sugar Spikes and Cellular-Level Stress

Those cookie-fueled blood sugar rollercoasters don't just zap your energy. They create stress at the cellular level. Your mitochondria have to work overtime to manage these ups and downs. The oxidative stress that results from these swings doesn't stay in your gut. It affects your whole body, compounding the stress you're already feeling and making recovery that much harder.

The Stress-Gut Connection

Between travel logistics, family gatherings, and year-end deadlines, the holidays can send your cortisol levels soaring. That stress response directly impacts how your gut functions.

The Gut-Brain Axis in Action

Your gut and brain are in constant conversation through the gut-brain axis. When stress rises (from travel chaos, family dynamics, or that never-ending to-do list), your body pumps out cortisol to help your body handle it. Cortisol slows digestion and weakens your gut barrier, exactly when you need them working their best.

Holiday Stress + Sugar = A Rough Combination

When emotional stress meets dietary stress, the side effects can multiply quickly. This is why bloating, constipation, and relentless sugar cravings often show up together during the busiest weeks of the year. Your gut is working overtime to keep up.

Alcohol's Role in Gut Imbalance

Holiday cocktails and wine (or your beverage of choice) add another layer of stress to an already taxed digestive system, particularly when it comes to gut barrier integrity.

How Alcohol Affects the Gut Barrier

Alcohol increases gut permeability, making that protective barrier more porous, and feeds inflammation in your digestive tract. It also depletes beneficial compounds like butyrate that your gut needs to stay strong.

The Next-Day Domino Effect

Ever notice how after a night with just one or two cocktails, you sleep poorly, crave sugar like crazy, and feel more stressed the next day? Each of these factors puts more strain on your microbiome, creating a cycle that's tough to break when holiday parties stack up week after week.

But that doesn’t mean you have to abstain from the fun altogether to shield your gut from harm. You just need a plan to minimize the side effects. 

Supporting Your Gut During the Holidays

You can protect your gut without skipping the celebrations with just a few, simple, strategic habits that make all the difference.

Lifestyle Swaps

You don't need to overhaul your entire holiday routine. A few small shifts make a real difference:

Hydrate between drinks. No seriously, alternate a tall glass of water after each drink, preferably with added electrolytes. Water + key minerals help your body process both sugar and alcohol more efficiently.

Pair sweets with protein or healthy fats. A handful of nuts with that cookie, or hard cheese with your dessert, slows glucose absorption and prevents wild blood sugar spikes.

Move daily. Even a 15-minute walk after meals helps regulate stress hormones and gets your digestion moving. Get the whole family involved for more quality time together!

Eat butyrate-rich foods. Foods like butter, ghee, and aged cheeses naturally contain some butyrate, while fiber-rich foods like cooked and cooled oats, slightly underripe bananas, and legumes help your gut bacteria produce more of it.

Smart Supplement Support: Butyrate

Butyrate is a postbiotic (a beneficial compound that your good gut bacteria naturally produce) that supports your gut lining, reduces inflammation, and helps keep your microbiome balanced. It's the perfect holiday event partner for your gut.*

During the holidays, butyrate helps you:

  • Skip the bloat with no more uncomfortable gas after meals*

  • Digest rich foods without the heavy, sluggish feeling*

  • Balance blood sugar after dessert (high spikes → gentle hills)*

  • Recover faster between celebrations by strengthening your gut barrier*

Butyrate is flexible. You can take it with or without food, and dose up or down based on your needs (up to six capsules per day). Already taking a probiotic that works for you? Butyrate works alongside it (more on that below).

Butyrate Q&A: Your Holiday Gut Support Ally

Q: Can I take butyrate with or without food?
A: Either way works. Take it however feels best for you. Some people prefer it with meals, others between. The most important thing is to stay consistent for gut protection.

Q: Is butyrate the same as a probiotic?
A: No, it's a postbiotic! Probiotics add beneficial bacteria to your gut. Butyrate is what healthy bacteria produce to keep your gut lining healthy and reduce inflammation.*

Q: Can I take butyrate with probiotics?
A: Absolutely. Probiotics repopulate the good bacteria, while butyrate strengthens the environment they need to thrive. They work well together. If probiotics are giving you some beneficial results but not all, butyrate can help bridge the gap.* 

Keep Your Gut (and Holidays) Happy

Sugar, stress, and alcohol are part of the holiday package, and that's okay (in moderation of course). They don't have to derail how you feel or leave you fighting to bounce back.

Your gut doesn't need perfection; it simply needs nutrition, hydration, movement, and smart support when things get hectic. Butyrate is the perfect holiday event partner to support your gut microbiome and gut lining through every celebration, so you can enjoy the season without total gut and metabolic disruption.

When sugar, stress, and alcohol impact your gut this season, support your microbiome with BodyBio Butyrate.*