These Are The Major (And Worrying) Signs You’re Not Eating Enough Fiber

“Since you find fiber in plants, [you] could eat more plant foods, and [you] could eat plant foods that they can recognize as plants,” Mullins said.

This means eating more:

• Whole fruits
• Whole veggies
• Seeds 
• Nuts
• Whole grains
• Beans and legumes

Just for reference: 2 tablespoons of chia seeds have 10 grams of fiber, 1 cup of lentils has 18 grams of fiber, 1 cup of broccoli has 5 grams of fiber, 1 cup of whole wheat pasta has 7 grams of fiber, and 1 cup of blackberries contains 7.5 grams, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

“I think it’s really important for people who don’t consume enough fiber… to kind of go slow and steady,” said Ben-Asher. “You want to gradually increase your fiber intake, because if you go from a very low-fiber to a very, very high-fiber diet, the gut and the body is not used to it, and so it has to assimilate, and it takes time.”

People who dive in too quickly may notice issues like gas, bloating, stomach discomfort, constipation, and more, Ben-Asher added.

“Gradually increasing fiber slowly can really help your body adjust to it and reduce those risks of those side effects,” he said. “So, ways that we encourage people to do it is try to increase your fiber intake by adding one more serving of vegetables per day, [and] trying to increase fruit consumption, so maybe even having one more serving of fruit per day as well.”

Moreover, think about the carbohydrates you’re eating. Instead of eating ultra-processed carbs, opt for items you can pick from a garden, such as sweet potatoes and beans, he said.

And instead of eating white bread or white rice, choose breads and grains that are whole-grain, Elnakib said. But be careful not to just pick out bread or grain that’s dyed brown, she noted. 

“When you’re looking at whole-grain products, actually look at the back and make sure that it is made from whole grain versus just brown products because that’s not always the same,” Elnakib explained. Make sure you’re “looking at the back and you’re checking to see that it says ‘whole grain flour’ or ‘whole grain sorghum wheat’ or pasta or whatever it is that you’re using … Multi-grain is great, too, because then you get different kinds of whole grains.”

Fiber supplements can be helpful, but they aren’t the same as fiber-rich food.