Fibremaxxing explained: How to get more fibre into your diet

If you’ve spent any time on social media recently, you might have come across “fibremaxxing” – the trend encouraging us to eat more fibre and a wider variety of plants.

“Fibre really is having a moment, which is music to my ears,” says gut health scientist and registered dietitian Dr Megan Rossi, PhD, RD. “Only around 4% of us are getting the recommended 30g of fibre a day, so anything that gets us talking about fibre is very welcome on my feed.”

But you don’t need to completely overhaul your diet to start getting more. Small additions to the meals you already eat can quickly add up.

Before you start piling as much fibre as possible onto your plate, though, more isn’t always better. Suddenly eating loads more fibre than usual can leave you feeling uncomfortable.

In fact, Dr Megan (aka The Gut Health Doctor and founder of gut health food brand Bio&Me and live bacteria range SMART STRAINS.) says the best approach is often much simpler.

Why is fibre so important?

Fibre is found in plant foods like fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, beans, nuts and seeds. Unlike most of the food we eat, our bodies don’t fully break it down. Instead, it travels through the gut, helping to keep our digestion moving and feeding many of the good bacteria that live there.

When these bacteria feed on fibre, they produce substances that support our gut health. But the benefits don’t stop there. Eating plenty of fibre is also linked with better heart health and a lower risk of bowel cancer. 

“Fibre is about much more than whether you feel bloated or how regularly you go to the toilet,” says Dr Megan.

Here, Dr Megan shares her top tips for getting more fibre into your diet, without overdoing it. 

Try different types of plant foods

When it comes to fibre, it’s not just about how much you eat. Different plant foods contain different types of fibre, which help feed the bacteria living in your gut.

Dr Megan compares these bacteria to a workforce. “Different bacteria have different skills and jobs, so the more diverse the team, the broader the range of skills they can bring.”

That’s why she encourages people to eat across what she calls the Super Six plant groups:

• Wholegrains, such as oats, wholemeal bread, brown rice and wholewheat pasta
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Legumes, which include beans, chickpeas and lentils
• Nuts and seeds
• Herbs and spices

That might sound like a lot, but you don’t need to eat something from every group at every meal. It’s simply a reminder that eating a variety of plants is about more than fruit and veg. 

“Each group brings something slightly different to the table,” says Dr Megan. To help you remember the Super Six and add more variety to your meals, you can download Dr Megan’s free plant point counter here.

Make your usual meals work harder

Eating more fibre doesn’t mean you need to completely change the way you eat. Instead, Dr Megan suggests looking at the meals you already enjoy and asking yourself: “What extra plant can I add?” 

Beans and other legumes are a great place to start. “They’re one of the most underrated foods in the supermarket,” says Dr Megan. “They’re packed with fibre, are a valuable source of protein and they’re good value.”

Try swapping half the mince in a bolognese for lentils, adding chickpeas to a curry or throwing mixed beans into a chilli. You can make the same small additions elsewhere too – stir frozen peas or spinach into a pasta sauce, add mixed seeds, nuts and berries to your porridge or choose wholemeal toast instead of white. Even adding different herbs or spices when you cook can help increase variety. 

“It’s less about creating an entirely new ‘gut health diet’ and more about making the meals you already enjoy work a little harder for your gut,” says Dr Megan.

Make simple swaps when you shop

Eating a wider variety of plants doesn’t mean filling your trolley with loads of different or expensive foods. Instead, look for variety from the things you already buy. 

Dr Megan suggests making simple swaps: “Instead of one type of bean, try mixed beans. Swap a bag of one type of frozen veg or fruit for a mixed bag, or choose mixed seeds instead of one variety.”

“You’re spending a similar amount and putting in basically no extra effort, but suddenly you’re feeding your gut bacteria a much wider variety of plants.”

And don’t overlook tinned and frozen foods. They can still help you get more fibre and plant variety, and they’re often cheaper than fresh, last longer and can help reduce food waste too.

Small changes like these can help you get more fibre and variety into your diet without making meals more complicated.

Build it up gradually

If you don’t currently eat much fibre, suddenly eating loads more can leave you feeling bloated, windy or uncomfortable. That doesn’t necessarily mean fibre doesn’t agree with you – your gut might just need some time to adjust.

Dr Megan compares it to building up your fitness: “You wouldn’t go from sitting on the sofa to running a marathon overnight. You’d train for it, gradually building up what your body can handle.”

Her advice is to go slow and steady. Start by adding a small amount of extra fibre-rich food each day for a week and give your gut time to adapt before increasing it again. If you have a particularly sensitive gut, Dr Megan recommends starting with even less.

Give your gut time to adapt before increasing it again. If you have a particularly sensitive gut, Dr Megan recommends starting with even less. 

And don’t forget to drink plenty of water. Fibre absorbs water as it moves through your gut, which helps keep stools soft and easier to pass. So staying hydrated is especially important as you start eating more of it.

So rather than trying to “max” your fibre overnight, start with the food you already eat, add a little more variety when you can and build it up gradually. As Dr Megan puts it, the goal is to become “fibre fit” over time.

Want some more meal inspiration? Check out this delicious vegetable and lentil pasta bake or easy one-pan scrambled oats and berries.