This is no small issue—not getting enough fiber has whole-body ramifications that can seriously impact your gut health, bowel movements, immune resilience, cardiovascular health, metabolic function, mental well-being, and more. There are two broad categories of fiber: soluble and insoluble. During digestion, soluble fiber dissolves into a gel-like substance that helps collect and remove things the body doesn’t need (e.g., extra hormones, cholesterol, toxins, and waste), while insoluble fiber forms up the bulk of stool and helps move it along to be properly eliminated. Think of soluble and insoluble fibers as the drivers of an internal street sweeper truck that helps push unwanted substances through your GI tract and out of the body. According to a 2017 scientific review from the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, the average American is getting much less—only around 16 grams2 per day. That said, pacing yourself when increasing your fiber intake is essential in order to avoid unwanted side effects like bloat, gas, and stomach upset. “While you cannot have ’too much fiber,’ some people may experience side effects of high-fiber intake if they have preexisting gut health issues and/or increase fiber intake rapidly,” Crouch says, adding, “the tolerated upper limit will vary from person to person and depend on their baseline diet, gut health, and types of fibers consumed.” Whether taking a quality plant fiber supplement or simply adding more fiber-rich foods to your diet, be sure to increase your intake over time. Crouch also suggests consuming at least 8 ounces of water for every 25 grams of fiber you consume to further support your digestion and bowel movements. Fiber supplements come in a variety of forms—including powders, capsules, tablets, and even gummies. While they aren’t a replacement for nutrient-dense plant foods, they can help bridge the critical fiber gap affecting most of the population. You’ll want to beware of fiber supplements that include an insufficient dose of fiber and a long list of “other” ingredients. Look for a clean supplement that provides at least 6 grams of fiber from plant-based sources (e.g., guar bean, mushrooms, kiwifruit, flaxseed, inulin, chia seed, oats, apple, acacia, ancient grains, psyllium husk, maize, etc.). Of the various supplement delivery formats offered, high-quality powders will provide the most meaningful amounts of fiber with the fewest additives. mindbodygreen’s organic fiber potency+ is a family-friendly, USDA-certified organic blend that delivers a high-potency dose (6 grams) of plant-powered functional fibers from organic legumes (guar beans from India), fungi (reishi, maitake, and oyster mushrooms harvested in the U.S.), and fruit (green kiwi from New Zealand) in each scoop, as well as a resilient, targeted Bacillus subtilis probiotic strain to provide prebiotic, probiotic, and postbiotic actions and provide comprehensive gut health support.*
