8 Easy Ways to Eat More Fiber Every Day

Fiber is having a moment. Between the “fibermaxxing” trend and growing interest in gut health, more people are paying more attention to how much fiber they eat. That’s a good thing, since most U.S. adults only get around half the recommended amount each day. 

Luckily, closing that gap doesn’t require a major change to your diet. Small tweaks to your meals and snacks can add up. Below are eight easy ways to eat more fiber.

1. Include fiber in your breakfast

Having fiber at breakfast can make it easier to reach your daily fiber goal. Fiber also slows digestion and can help reduce the rise in blood sugar after you eat. Because fiber helps you feel full, a high-fiber breakfast may also help you stay satisfied between meals.

There are plenty of easy ways to add fiber to breakfasts that you already enjoy. Here are a few ideas:

• Yogurt: Add berries and ground flaxseed to yogurt.

• Smoothies: Toss in chia seeds and nut butter when making a smoothie.

• Eggs: Pair eggs with whole-grain toast and avocado.

• Oatmeal: For extra fiber, add pumpkin seeds and slivered almonds to oatmeal. 

2. Make beans and lentils a pantry staple

Beans and lentils are part of the legume family, and both are very high in fiber. Depending on the type, half a cup of cooked beans or lentils can add up to 10 g of fiber to a meal — and lots of protein, too. 

They’re also inexpensive and easy to keep on hand. Whether you choose canned (pre-cooked) or dried varieties, beans and lentils are a convenient pantry staple. 

Beans and lentils work well in all kinds of meals, but here are a few specific ideas:

• Lentils: Swap out some of the ground beef in tacos, meat sauce, or meatloaf and replace it with lentils. Or roast lentils with garlic to make a crunchy, fiber-rich “crouton” for salads.

• White beans: Try blending white beans into sauces or dips for extra creaminess. Or mash them with garlic and olive oil to make a spread for toast. Their flavor is mild, so you can even blend them into smoothies, and you won’t taste that they’re there.

• Chickpeas: Toss chickpeas into salads or grain bowls. Or try roasting them with your favorite seasonings for a crunchy snack.

3. Swap refined grains for whole grains

You don't have to give up rice, bread, or pasta to eat more fiber. Instead, look for opportunities to replace refined grains with whole grains.

Whole grains contain all three parts of the grain kernel, including the fiber-rich bran. Refined grains, such as those used to make white bread and white pasta, have the bran and germ removed during processing. This also removes much of the fiber.

Food labels can be confusing. Terms like "multigrain" and "wheat" may sound nutritious, but they don't necessarily mean that a product is made with whole grains. Look for "100% whole wheat" or "100% whole grain" on the package, and check the nutrition label for fiber. A good rule of thumb is to choose foods with at least 3 g of fiber per serving. 

Here are some whole-grain swaps to try:

• Eat oatmeal instead of a lower-fiber breakfast cereal.

• Swap whole-wheat bread (or bread made from other whole grains) for white bread.

• Pick brown rice, quinoa, or barley, instead of white rice.

• Choose whole-grain or bean-based pasta, instead of white pasta.

4. Leave the skin on your produce

The outer skin of many fruits and vegetables contains a significant amount of fiber. So, when the skin is edible, leaving it on is one of the easiest ways to get a little more fiber.

You can eat many fruits and veggies with the skin on. Examples include apples, pears, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and cucumbers. Just wash them thoroughly first.

5. Include fiber in every snack

Snacks can make up a significant part of what you eat in a day, so snack time is a good opportunity to add more fiber. But many popular snack foods — like pretzels, yogurt, and string cheese — provide little to no fiber.

Try pairing your snacks with fiber-rich foods, or simply choosing high-fiber options. Here are some ideas:

• Eat cheese with sliced apple or pear.

• Top yogurt with slivered almonds and/or berries.

• Dip veggie spears in hummus.

• Choose air-popped popcorn.

• Roast chickpeas for a satisfying snack.

6. Get to know seeds

Seeds provide lots of nutrients, including healthy fats and protein. They’re also a good source of fiber. 

All seeds provide fiber, but chia seeds and flaxseeds have especially high amounts. For example, a 2 tbsp serving of chia seeds provides about 8 g of fiber. The same amount of ground flaxseed provides about 4 g. 

Keep different types of seeds on hand and sprinkle them into meals and snacks throughout the day. Chia and ground flaxseeds work well in moist foods, like oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies, and overnight oats. Pumpkin and sunflower seeds can add crunch to salads, grain bowls, and trail mix.

7. Keep frozen produce on hand

Having frozen fruits and frozen vegetables available is an easy, budget-friendly way to add fiber to meals. Because frozen produce lasts much longer than fresh, you’re less likely to have it spoil before you’ve had a chance to use it. Frozen produce is typically just as nutritious as fresh produce.

Stock your freezer with a few favorites and add them to meals you already make. For example, you could:

• Stir frozen spinach and peppers into scrambled eggs.

• Toss frozen berries or bananas into a smoothie.

• Add frozen mixed vegetables to pasta or soup.

8. Skip the juice

Juice has a reputation as a classic “health food.” Although juice can provide vitamins and minerals, it has very little fiber. That’s because the juicing process removes most of the fiber-rich pulp from produce.

You’ll get much more fiber by eating whole fruits and veggies. Smoothies are another option. Unlike juice, smoothies contain fiber, since blending keeps the fiber intact. 

To add even more fiber to a smoothie, try adding:

• Berries

• Seeds

• Nuts or nut butter

• Avocado

• Leafy greens

Health benefits of fiber

Fiber may be best known for its ability to help keep you regular and prevent constipation. But its many benefits extend beyond that.

Getting enough fiber can help:

• Support a healthy gut. Certain types of fiber act as prebiotics, which feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut. These bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids that help keep your gut lining healthy and regulate inflammation.

• Stabilize blood sugar. Soluble fiber slows digestion and the absorption of carbohydrates, which may help prevent sharp spikes in blood sugar after eating.

• Lower cholesterol. Some types of soluble fiber bind to bile acids in your digestive tract. This prompts your body to use cholesterol to make more bile acids, which can help lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol over time.

• Support a healthy weight. Fiber helps you feel full longer, which may help with weight management. 

• Lower the risk of disease. Higher-fiber diets are linked to a lower risk of chronic conditions, like heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and colon cancer.

How much fiber per day do you need?

There isn't one fiber target that works for everyone. Individual needs vary based on someone’s age and sex. Recommendations for how much fiber to eat generally decrease as you get older, since calorie needs tend to decrease, too.

Here’s how much fiber adults should aim to consume each day.

Another way to think about it: Aim for about 14 g of fiber for every 1,000 calories you eat.

Can you get too much fiber?

It’s possible to get too much fiber. But there's no single amount that's considered too much for everyone. It depends on factors like the type of fiber you're eating, how much you usually get, and how quickly you increase your intake.

Your digestive system will usually let you know if you've overdone it. Too much fiber can cause gas, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea. But keep in mind that these symptoms can also happen when you increase fiber too quickly, even if the total amount you're eating isn't unusually high.

If you're trying to eat more fiber, increase your intake gradually. If you start having digestive symptoms, slow down and give your body more time to adjust.

It’s also important to drink plenty of fluids, since water helps fiber do its job. 

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Written by:

Lindsay Boyers, CHNC

Lindsay Boyers, CHNC, is a functional nutritionist, licensed esthetician, writer, and editor with over a decade of experience in evidence-based health, wellness, and skincare writing.

Edited by:

Meredith Hoffa

Meredith Hoffa is a senior health editor at GoodRx, where she leads journalists and clinicians covering various well-being topics, particularly in diet and nutrition.

Reviewed by:

Mandy Armitage, MD

Mandy Armitage, MD, has combined clinical medicine with her passion for education and content development for many years. She is co-executive director at Nonclinical Physicians Network and has served as medical director for the health technology companies HealthLoop (now Get Well) and Doximity.

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