Fibre, a spoonful at a time
Photo: NastyaSensei / Pexels
Protein gets the headlines, but fibre is the nutrient most of us are really short of. The good news for small appetites is that it can go in a spoonful at a time.
Where the UK stands
UK guidance is 30g of fibre a day for adults. BBC Food reports that only about 4% of adults reach it, and most of us manage a little over 16g (BBC Food (opens in a new tab)). Food Bible reports that interest in eating more fibre, sometimes called "fibremaxxing", is now pushing up sales of plant foods (Food Bible (opens in a new tab)).
Researchers are also looking at fibre and long-term health. You can read our summary of BBC Future's report in Health news.
Small additions that add up
Amounts are approximate, taken from the BBC Food piece and typical UK labels. Check your packs.
| Addition | Roughly |
|---|---|
| Half a tin of chickpeas | 7g fibre |
| Half a tin of reduced-sugar baked beans | 7.5g fibre |
| 25g mixed milled seeds | 4.5g fibre |
| 40g porridge oats | about 4g fibre |
| A pear, skin on | about 5g fibre |
Several of these bring protein too, which matters when the plate is small.
Easy habits
- Seeds on everything. A spoonful on yoghurt, porridge or soup.
- One portion of pulses a day. Beans in a salad, lentils in a soup, chickpeas in a curry. The Bang in Some Beans campaign wants UK bean eating doubled by 2028 (The Guardian (opens in a new tab)).
- Half your grains wholegrain. Wholemeal bread, oats, brown rice or wholewheat pasta.
- Skin on. Potatoes, apples and pears.
Go slowly
Every expert in these pieces says the same thing: build up over a week or two and drink plenty. A sudden jump can be uncomfortable. If you have a gut condition, ask your GP or a dietitian first.
Handy kit
- A seed mix for sprinkling. Bulk link coming soon · Amazon link coming soon
- Small glass pots with lids for overnight oats. Amazon link coming soon