Is Fiber Really THAT Important?
Meet Sydney Greene and Make a Purple Soup!
When I started paying attention to food, I constantly switched my focus between learning more about agriculture, recipes, and nutrition. As we know, there is SO much to learn about food, and the world of nutrition is vast, hotly contested, and notoriously under-researched.
According to Dr. Gardner, the Director of Nutrition Studies at Stanford, research studies that involve food are incredibly hard to pull off. For one, as an academic, taking on a research study, publishing results after 5 to 10 years is not possible in how academia works, so you have to create studies that have results in way less time, which is not actually how food impacts our health. Second, when conducting nutrition studies with real people, it's challenging to monitor exactly what they eat as it’s far more complex than one group taking a medication and the other taking a placebo.
I’ve always struggled with what advice to believe when it comes to nutrition other than to eat as many whole foods and plants as possible - my personal mantra.
Despite all this uncertainty, there is one nutrient that I truly believe is worth focusing on: fiber. I’ve heard from many different sources how important fiber is to so many of our bodily functions, but I wanted to hear from a trusted source exactly what we need to know.
Through a friend of a friend, I met Sydney Greene, a registered dietitian who owns the virtual private practice Greene Health. Greene Health focuses on helping individuals all over the country struggling with eating disorders, disordered eating, addiction, body image, and overall mental wellness. I asked her some of my burning questions about fiber and learned so much!
In the most basic sense - how would you describe fiber to a 5 year old?
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate found in plants. Unlike other types of carbohydrates that we can digest and absorb, humans are unable to digest fiber, so it passes through the GI tract after our bodies have tried to break it down.
I know I’ve heard it a million times, but can you explain the difference between soluble and insoluble fiber? Which one do we need more of, and how do we get both?
Soluble fiber is a type of fiber that dissolves in water and usually results in a gel or gummy-like substance. Think of oats; oats get gummy when cooked or in contact with liquid. Soluble fiber is great for lowering cholesterol levels and elongating one’s blood sugar curve. It also acts as a natural stool softener, which can help with constipation. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water so it leaves the body in the same form it entered. Think of kale or celery - these plants are very stringy. Insoluble fiber is great for constipation because it helps stimulate bowel movements. We need both types of fiber for optimal wellness. Soluble fiber is found in plants like beans, oats, whole grains, some fruits, and seeds, and insoluble fiber is found in grains with the bran intact, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, cruciferous veggies, and root veggies.
I’ve read that only about 5% of Americans meet the recommended fiber intake - what happens if you don’t get enough fiber?
Fiber is crucial for holistic health and wellness. Yes, fiber is necessary for a healthy GI tract, but fiber also plays a role in many of our bodies' functions. Fiber influences cardiovascular health by helping to regulate cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood. Consuming adequate fiber is also key in preventing chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes because fiber is needed to regulate blood sugar levels.
For anyone who wants to focus on it - how much do you recommend getting in a day?
In general, I recommend that adults aim for 30 grams of fiber per day. If you are currently only getting 15 grams, it is important to increase your fiber intake slowly. Dialing up your fiber intake too quickly can result in constipation or other unwanted GI side effects like gas and bloating. Try increasing your intake by two to three grams per day.
Does taking Metamucil or a supplement count? Is it as good as getting fiber from Whole Foods?
I recommend people take a food-first approach to fiber. Our GI tract is designed to process fiber from whole foods, not supplements. Yes, the fiber from something like Metamucil “counts” but it is not something to be relied upon to meet your daily needs. I only recommend fiber supplements if someone is struggling with chronic gut issues or if they have dietary preferences that prevent them from consuming many plant foods.
What are your favorite ways to ensure you are getting your daily fiber, and do you loosely track it?
I’m not a big fan of tracking anything when it comes to nutrition. I find we can often get lost in the data when we’re tracking nutrients instead of paying attention to what foods actually feel nourishing. I aim to eat as many plant foods as possible in a day, and I sometimes turn them into a game. Sometimes, I challenge myself to have at least three plants in one meal or to consume at least three different colors per day. It is hard not to meet your fiber needs if you consume various plant foods daily. Here’s one way to meet 30 grams of fiber in a day:
Breakfast: ½ cup oatmeal + ½ cup raspberries + 2 tbsp. Pumpkin seeds = ~14 grams
Lunch: Avocado toast + smoked salmon = ~10 grams
Snack: Apple + 2 tbsp. Peanut butter = ~4 grams
Dinner: Bowl of vegetarian chili + brown rice = ~10 - 15 grams
Thank you, Sydney!
Sydney Greene is a registered dietitian and owns the virtual private practice Greene Health. Sydney is part of the LGBTQIA community and understands recovery on a personal level. She lives in Boulder, CO with her wife and dog, Charlie.
Gems of the Week ✨
I have come to love Erin Mcpherson of Naturally Ella. Her food is plant-based, realistic and seasonal. Her new cookbook, The Yearlong Pantry, just came out and it’s at the top of my wishlist. Check out this interview from
to get to know her.Cafe Spaghetti. Yesterday, we celebrated Theo’s birthday. Theo is a classic man and will always choose a simple dish done perfectly rather than a bunch of frills. We loved this restaurant for its cute matchbooks, the Cacio e Pepe Arancini, the Spumoni, and the service.
I went to an event this week hosted by SIMPLI and Haven’s Kitchen. I'm so grateful for thoughtful brands that bring together like-minded people to eat good food. If you’ve never tried SIMPLI’s Gigante Beans—these are incredible—and Haven’s Kitchen’s new lines of aioli, which I ate immediately with my crispy potatoes.
Looking for jobs in the food world? Be sure to sign up for
’s newsletter, Thinking Food Jobs.- wrote this helpful list of ways to eat fewer ultra-processed foods, definitely check it out.
Creamy Purple Cauliflower Soup with Chickpea Crackers (High Fiber!) 💜
It’s no coincidence that my love for beans came at the same time as my desire to eat more fiber. You can pretty much add a can of beans to a lot of recipes and if you are eating beans daily, you will be getting more fiber!
INGREDIENTS
1 red onion
1 purple or white cauliflower
1 can coconut Milk
1 can white beans
3 cups broth
INSTRUCTIONS
Dice the red onion and saute until translucent in a big pot
Add salt and your chunks of cauliflower. I had a random potato I added in too
Saute for a couple of minutes
Add your broth, and for extra purple, I steeped one cup of water in butterfly tea in place of one cup broth
Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until cauliflower is soft
Add can of beans and 1 cup of coconut milk, cook for 10 more minutes
Turn off the heat and let it cool until blending.
Serve with an additional drizzle of coconut milk and anything crunchy you can find.
my wife taught me that fiber IS that important!