How to Get the Fiber Benefits Without the Bloat!

By Kristin Neusel, MS, RD, LD, CDCES

These statements are entirely thoughts of the author and not claims made by the company. The Author was compensated to create this article.

Fiber seems to be having a moment, and for good reason! It helps support digestive health, can help keep bowel movements regular (who doesn’t want help in that department?!), can help promote fullness, supports healthy blood glucose and cholesterol levels, and plays a super important role in gut health.

Just like a lot of things in life, doing too much of something too quickly can have counter productive results. You can drink too much water, eat too many veggies, work out too much etc. etc. For some people, they get better and more comfortable results if they slowly increase their fiber on a daily basis instead of increasing fiber too quickly.

Your gut has trillions of healthy bacteria that interact with the foods you eat. One of their favorite foods is fiber! When you eat fiber, your healthy gut bacteria ferment that fiber in your large intestine, which can produce beneficial compounds but also can produce gas. Let’s say you suddenly go from eating very little fiber to then eating large amounts of beans, lentils, whole grains, fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds and high-fiber products all at once- your GI tract may respond with some very noticeable feedback!

Common symptoms of increasing fiber too quickly can include:

Gas or flatulence
Abdominal bloating
Cramping or abdominal discomfort
Feeling unusually full
Changes in bowel movements
Constipation, especially if you are not drinking enough fluids

If you increase fiber too quickly or by too much, your digestive system may not be ready for it. My sister never ate fiber, until I brought home some fiber bars and she loved them and ate the whole box. Let’s just say, she was nervous to try fiber ever again! This is why I always recommend folks to increase fiber slowly and when increasing fiber, it’s important to also increase fluid intake. The key is really understanding where your fiber intake is starting from and giving your body time to adjust.

Was Your Fiber Intake Too Low to Begin With?

It’s good to get a baseline before trying to dramatically increase your fiber intake. There’s several sources that have varying recommendations on how much fiber you should have, but the Institute of Medicine provide age and gender-specific targets for adults:

Women

Age 50 or younger: 25 grams per day
Age 51 or older: 21 grams per day

Men

Age 50 or younger: 38 grams per day
Age 51 or older: 30 grams per day

Crazy enough- most Americans are falling short of these guidelines. The average fiber intake is only around 15 grams per day! That means someone who is currently eating about 15 grams of fiber per day and then suddenly tries to eat 30-40grams per day could be more than doubling their fiber intake overnight- not a good idea!

How Can You Tell If You May Not Be Getting Enough Fiber?

You don’t have to necessarily track every single gram of fiber you eat, but getting a general idea is helpful for having an idea of what your baseline is.

You may not be getting enough fiber if you don’t regularly eat foods like:

Fruits (3 cups of raspberries have roughly 24 grams of fiber)
Vegetables (~10 ¼ cups of broccoli contain 32 grams of fiber))
Oatmeal (~6 cups to get 24 grams of fiber)
Beans, peas or lentils (1 ⅔ cups of lentils is about 32 grams of fiber)
Whole grains
Nuts and seeds

Your bathroom habits can also provide some clues. If you’re not going to the bathroom on a regular basis (current guidelines state 3 times a day to 3 times a week is considered “normal” and this will vary from person to person) or have hard stools that are difficult to pass, these could be signs you may benefit from more fiber and fluid. However, constipation can have many different causes, so it’s important to chat with your doctor first. There’s apps that can help you track the amount if you really want to!

Tips for Increasing Fiber Comfortably

Here’s how to safely ramp up fiber intake, inspired by the viral “fibermaxxing” trend on TikTok and rooted in long-standing public health guidance:

1. Progressive Ramp-Up

Increase fiber gradually, think 2-3 grams per day each week rather than jumping straight to very high-fiber meals. Pair with hydration and regular meals to help minimize bloating and constipation.

2. Spread Fiber Across Meals

Avoid loading all fiber into one meal. Spread it across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks to reduce the good bacteria in your gut from having a feeding frenzy, which can cause lots of gas and bloating.

3. Focus on Food First

Whole foods provide mixed-fiber types that ferment (read: break down!) more slowly, supporting digestion and gut health. Supplements like psyllium are useful selectively for glycemic control or bowel regularity but shouldn’t replace food sources- talk with your healthcare provider!

4. Know Your Fiber Types

Resistant starches (like those in Hero Bread) produce short-chain fatty acids like butyrate during fermentation, which can help modulate inflammation and insulin sensitivity.

Viscous fibers like psyllium or oat beta-glucans are generally easier on the gut and support glucose control.

High-FODMAP fibers (beans, lentils, some fruits) can trigger IBS or sensitive guts,and choose low-fermentability options if needed.

Start With Food: Where Does Fiber Come From?

I usually recommend starting with food when it comes to increasing fiber intake.

Dietary fiber is naturally found in plant-based foods. Think fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds.

Here are a few examples of how much fiber some common foods provide:

Food & Approximate Fiber (in grams)

1 cup raspberries - 8 grams
1 medium pear with skin - 6 grams
1 cup cooked lentils - 16 grams
1 cup cooked black beans - 15 grams
1 medium apple with skin - 4 grams
1 ounce almonds - 3 grams
½ cup oatmeal - 4 grams
1 slice Hero Seeded Bread - 12 grams

Some foods that don’t have fiber are meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products.

What About Fiber Supplements?

Fiber supplements can be useful in certain situations, but they do not have to be the first step.

Whenever possible, I recommend focusing on food first. Fiber-rich foods provide much more than fiber alone. They can also contribute vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other beneficial plant compounds to your diet.

Certain supplements, such as psyllium, can have a role in supporting bowel regularity or other specific health goals. If you are considering a fiber supplement, particularly if you have ongoing gastrointestinal symptoms or a medical condition, talk with your healthcare provider about what is appropriate for you.

The Bottom Line:

Fiber is a super important part of a healthy eating plan but more is not always better if you increase it too quickly!

Listen to your gut- if your body is telling you that you increased your fiber too quickly- slow it down. Remember, fiber is something to build up to, not something to max out overnight like some people think.

As always, talk with your healthcare provider before making significant changes to your eating plan, particularly if you have ongoing or severe gastrointestinal symptoms.