Boost your fiber intake by incorporating a diverse range of fiber sources into your diet.
Forget about fibermaxxing—the latest trend is fiber layering, and it’s gaining approval from health professionals.
While “fiber layering” doesn’t have a strict medical definition, it generally refers to the practice of consuming various types of fiber throughout the day rather than getting it all from a single, heavy meal focused on beans, for example.
“People often think of fiber as just one general type of roughage, but it’s actually composed of different compounds that serve distinct purposes,” explains Bridget Benelam, a scientist with the British Nutrition Foundation.
Fibre, a carbohydrate found primarily in plant foods, offers numerous health benefits. It’s most famous for promoting regular bowel movements, thus helping to prevent constipation. Additionally, it is believed to lower unhealthy cholesterol levels, contributing to heart health.
Unfortunately, most individuals fall short of the recommended daily fiber intake of 30 grams, with the average person consuming only about 18 grams. To illustrate, a slice of wholemeal bread contains roughly 2 grams of fiber, while a medium banana offers about 3 grams.
Recently, experts are emphasizing not just increasing daily fiber intake, but also diversifying the types of fiber consumed throughout the day. “Consuming your entire 30 grams in one sitting may overwhelm your body’s ability to digest it,” notes Anna Mapson, a nutritional therapist with Goodness Me Nutrition. “Distributing fiber intake across meals can enhance digestion.”
Using Fiber to Reduce Cholesterol
Ella Rauen-Prestes has been practicing fiber layering for three years, well before the term gained popularity. Motivated by a family history of heart disease, she made dietary changes after a blood test revealed her own “bad cholesterol” levels were alarmingly high.
Not a fan of porridge, Rauen-Prestes opts for a breakfast smoothie made with oat bran, chia seeds, and frozen berries. “Fresh fruit can be pricy and spoil quickly, so I prefer frozen options,” she shares.
For lunch and dinner, her meals incorporate a variety of vegetables, beans, lentils, and whole grains. She suggests substituting lentils for carbohydrate-heavy foods like white rice or potatoes, loading up on beans, and adding oat bran to various dishes when possible.
The results have been promising: not only has her digestive health improved, but her cholesterol levels have dropped from 3.3 to 2.7 millimoles per liter, placing her within a healthy range.
“I felt an overwhelming sense of relief. For a long time, my family’s health issues seemed like a predetermined fate. Now, I realize my genetics don’t define my future,” she reflects.
The Different Types of Fiber
Fiber can be categorized into several main types. One common form is insoluble fiber, which cannot be digested in the gut, allowing it to pass through the system unchanged. This type adds bulk to stool and helps it retain water, aiding in smoother bowel movements.
You can find insoluble fiber in the tough structures of plant foods, such as nuts, seeds, vegetable skins, and whole grains, making it present in foods like wholemeal bread and brown rice.
Another important type of fiber is fermentable fiber. This fiber isn’t digestible by our gut enzymes but can be consumed by bacteria in the lower bowel. This fermentation process produces beneficial compounds known as short-chain fatty acids that may reduce gut inflammation.
Fermentable fiber is often referred to as prebiotics, in contrast to probiotics, which are the beneficial bacteria found in supplements or certain foods like yogurt.
Sources of fermentable fiber include fruits and vegetables, such as onions, garlic, asparagus, and bananas.
A subset of fermentable fiber is resistant starch, found in some plants such as unripe bananas. You can also produce it by cooking starchy foods like potatoes and pasta, then refrigerating them for up to a day before eating them cold or reheated. Besides nourishing gut bacteria, resistant starch helps regulate blood sugar levels, leading to a more gradual rise after meals.
“Relying solely on bread and cereals means missing out on other fiber sources from fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds,” advises Bahee Van de Bor, a spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association. “Incorporating a variety of fibers caters to a wider range of beneficial bacteria, promoting a diverse microbial ecosystem in the gut.”
Viscous Fiber and Cholesterol Reduction
A third type of fiber is viscous fiber, which includes beta-glucans that form a gel-like substance when mixed with water. This gel helps lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
The viscous gel binds to bile salts in the gut, leading to their excretion. Since bile salts are produced by the liver from cholesterol, their elimination forces the body to utilize more cholesterol to create new bile salts.
This mechanism may explain why some studies indicate that oats, rich in beta-glucan, can lower cholesterol levels.
Ella Rauen-Prestes attributes her success with fiber layering to this very principle. “Witnessing those numbers drop purely through nutrition at 51 was an immensely proud moment: it proves that ‘you are what you eat’ truly is more than just a saying,” she concludes.
