Nutritionist warns this 'invisible' nutrient you're ignoring becomes crucial as you get older
Fibre is one of the most important nutrients for your health, yet most people are not hitting the UK's daily recommended amount with their current eating habits
Across the decades, the health industry has encountered many phases, we had the protein craze, the sugar tee-totalers and the supplement rush. However, there is one vital ingredient missing from your plate that counts for more and more as you get older - and we need to talk about it.
Nutritionists are sounding the alarm on fibre, the unglamorous carb we tend to ignore because it doesn’t promise instant results. But as we age, fibre shifts from a dietary afterthought to a full-blown essential.
It supports digestion, steadies blood sugar, helps manage cholesterol, and keeps the gut operating smoothly. Despite its superpowers, most adults fall short of their daily fibre intake due to a lack of knowledge and conversation around the nutrient.
At HELLO!, we are eager to dive deeper into fibre and what it can do to help our bodies stay active and healthy for as long as possible. That's why we enlisted the help of one of the UK's leading nutritionists and Sunday Times bestselling author, Rhiannon Lambert. Here's her fibre debrief...
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We’re falling short on our daily fibre intake. Why is this happening, and what can we do to fix it?
"Here in the UK, we’re advised to aim for around 30g of fibre a day, but most of us are closer to 18g without even realising it - in fact, approximately 96 per cent of us here in the UK aren’t getting enough! That hasn’t happened because anyone is doing anything 'wrong', it’s simply a reflection of how our eating habits have changed. Meals are quicker, more convenient, often eaten on the go, and the foods that naturally used to bring fibre into our diets just aren’t quite as front and centre as they once were. Wholegrains, beans, pulses, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables are still there, they’re just not always the default choice in everyday meals. The fix is thankfully very simple and doesn’t involve overhauling anything. It’s about bringing those foods back in, little by little. Choosing wholegrain versions of familiar foods and sprinkling seeds onto breakfast, for example. These small habits, repeated daily, close the gap far more quickly than people expect, without anyone feeling like they’re changing their diet in a dramatic way."
In the UK, we’re advised to aim for around 30g of fibre a day
In a time when we’re encouraged to take vitamins, supplements, and prioritise protein, where does fibre rank in terms of importance for daily health?
"Fibre is one of the most important nutrients for daily health, yet it’s probably the one we think about the least because it doesn’t come from a single food. It’s rarely talked about in the same way because it isn't necessarily 'sexy' and it doesn’t come in a tub, a bar, or a shake! It’s spread across lots of everyday foods, so it feels less obvious. What fibre does is quietly powerful. It comes from lots of very ordinary ingredients such as wholegrains, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables, which means it often gets overlooked in favour of more obvious 'health' foods. But fibre is doing a huge amount for our health behind the scenes. It supports digestion, helps regulate appetite, contributes to steadier energy levels across the day and plays an important role in heart health. And, with bowel cancer rates in younger people now higher than ever before, it really is the time to make it a key part of our diets! Because fibre comes from plant foods, when people focus on fibre, they naturally start eating a more varied, balanced diet without needing to follow strict plans or rules. Unlike supplements, fibre can’t be added in as a quick fix. It works best when it’s part of how we eat every day, which is why small food choices repeated consistently have such a big impact."
As we age fibre becomes particularly important for digestive comfort, heart health and supporting the gut microbiome
What’s the easiest way for most people to increase their fibre intake?
"The biggest shift I encourage people to make is to stop thinking about fibre as something complicated and start thinking about where they can add it into foods they already eat. At home, I keep a jar of mixed seeds on the kitchen table, and my kids call them 'sprinkles.' They go onto yoghurt, porridge, cereal, toast - whatever breakfast looks like that day. That one small habit increases fibre intake every single morning without anyone having to think about it. The same applies to adding lentils into a bolognese sauce and reducing the meat quantity by fifty per cent, throwing chickpeas into a salad, choosing wholegrain bread or pasta, adding berries to breakfast or having nuts as a snack. These aren’t dramatic changes, but done daily, they make a real difference. And I find it incredibly encouraging to see food brands such as Warburtons making it easier for people to choose more fibre-rich versions of the foods they already buy, seen in their new Fibre Fix Loaf."
What surprising or unexpected foods are high in fibre and can make it easier to increase intake on a daily basis?
"This is where people are often surprised. Fibre isn’t just in brown bread and vegetables! Raspberries and blackberries are one of the highest fibre fruits you can buy. Pears with the skin on, oats, popcorn, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils and even dark chocolate are all fantastic fibre sources. Herbs and spices count too, which means something as simple as adding extra cinnamon, mixed herbs or seeds into cooking increases plant intake without people realising! In my latest book, The Fibre Formula, I talk a lot about plant diversity, not just hitting the 30g target, but aiming to eat a wide variety of plant foods across the week because that’s what really supports the gut. This idea is backed by research from projects such as the American Gut Project, which found that people who ate 30 or more different plant foods per week had a more diverse gut microbiome than those eating fewer than 10. This is where the concept of 30 plants a week was born. And this is where my 30:30:30 approach comes in - aiming for around 30g of fibre per day, 30 different plant foods across the week, and something people don’t expect, chewing each mouthful around 30 times! Because how we eat matters just as much as what we eat when it comes to supporting digestion and the gut."
What effects or symptoms might people notice if they’re not getting enough fibre, so they can recognise whether this could be affecting them?
"Often it shows up in ways people don’t immediately link to fibre. Feeling hungry again soon after eating, needing to snack frequently, afternoon energy dips, bloating, sluggish digestion or irregular bowel habits can all be linked to fibre intake being lower than it should be. What’s interesting is that many people respond to these symptoms by trying to remove foods, when very often the solution is to add more fibre-rich foods. But the key is to do this gradually. Trying to jump from a low fibre intake straight to 30g overnight is likely to feel uncomfortable and can actually make bloating and digestive symptoms worse in the short term. A much better approach is to increase fibre slowly over a couple of weeks, allowing the gut time to adapt, and making sure you’re drinking enough fluids alongside it. If you are experiencing ongoing digestive discomfort or are unsure how to increase fibre in a way that suits you, it can be really helpful to speak to a registered dietitian with experience in gut health for personalised advice."
Fibre is one of the most important nutrients for daily health
What does a good fibre intake feel like in day-to-day life?
"People often describe feeling more satisfied after meals, less preoccupied with food between meals, more comfortable digestively and having steadier energy across the day. Meals feel like they 'hold' them for longer. There’s less grazing, fewer mid-morning or mid-afternoon crashes and a general sense of feeling more balanced without having to think about it. Many also notice that digestion feels more predictable and less temperamental. There’s less bloating, more regularity and a feeling that meals are being tolerated well rather than sitting heavily. For some, it’s the first time they realise they don’t have to constantly think about snacks or feel caught in a cycle of peaks and dips in energy. It’s not a dramatic or instant change, but more of a steady shift where eating feels easier, more satisfying and more consistent from one day to the next."
Do fibre needs differ between men and women, and between younger and older people?
"Fibre is important across the lifespan. Recommendations are broadly similar for men and women, but as we age, fibre becomes particularly important for digestive comfort, heart health and supporting the gut microbiome. It can also play a helpful role in appetite regulation and maintaining steady energy levels, which many people notice becomes more relevant as routines and activity levels change over time. For children and teenagers, fibre helps establish healthy eating patterns early on by encouraging a variety of plant foods in the diet. In adults, it supports day-to-day digestion and overall dietary quality, and in older adults, it can make a noticeable difference to digestive comfort and regularity. Increasing fibre gradually and consistently, like adding an extra portion of fruit, switching to wholegrains, or including beans and lentils more often, tends to work best and is much easier to maintain long term."
Rhiannon Lambert is a Registered Nutritionist, founder of Rhitrition, a three-time Sunday Times bestselling author and co-host of The Wellness Scoop podcast.
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