If you've ever tried increasing your protein intake to build muscle mass, feel more energized, or even lose weight, you know how challenging hitting that grams goal can be. (Sometimes it can literally feel like a full-time job!) However, protein isn't the only macro you should probably eat more of—it's also important to consume enough fiber for digestion and weight loss benefits. But don't worry: Adding more fiber to your diet is pretty straightforward.
Fiber is about as close to a magic weight loss ingredient as you can get, says Keri Gans, RD, a registered dietitian. In fact, eating a diet high in fiber (and protein) can significantly help weight loss, according to 2024 research in Obesity Science and Practice.
Meet the Experts: Keri Gans, RD, is a registered dietitian and the author of The Small Change Diet. Katie Hake, RDN, is a nutritionist at Indiana University Health. Marissa Karp, RD, is a dietitian and the founder of MPM Nutrition.
But the benefits don't stop there. "Fiber can help to reduce cholesterol, which helps prevent heart disease," says Katie Hake, RDN, a nutritionist at Indiana University Health. It can also slow the breakdown of food, controlling your blood sugar, which is especially helpful for diabetics. On top of that, this essential part of your diet keeps your digestive system trucking along, so you won't be bloated or constipated.
Ready to lock in and eat more fiber? Here's everything to know about fiber intake for weight loss, and how to up your daily consumption.
What’s the best type of fiber for weight loss?
There are multiple kinds of fiber, but soluble and insoluble are the main ones aiding digestion. While there's no one best type of fiber for weight loss, your goal should be to consume both soluble and insoluble to help keep your bathroom trips regular and your body feeling its best, says Marissa Karp, RD, a registered dietitian.
Here are all of the types of fiber that play different roles in the body:
- Soluble fiber: "Soluble fiber, from oats, nuts, and seeds, acts as a broom to 'sweep' things along," says Hake. It dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance, so when it's going through your system, it lowers your cholesterol and balances your blood sugar while creating complete bowl movements, Karp says.
- Insoluble fiber: Insoluble fiber draws water into the colon to stimulate your bowl movements, Karp says. "[It's] non-digestible and adds bulk to the stool, which can aid in moving things along," says Hake. It's found in cabbage, brown rice, and some dark leafy vegetables.
- Fermentable fiber: This type of fiber promotes growth of good bacteria in the gut, similar to probiotics, says Hake. You can get it from foods like beans and garlic.
- Dietary fiber: This is the "indigestible part of a carbohydrate that's naturally found in plant-based foods" and aids in digestion, says Karp.
- Added fiber: This type of fiber is made by extracting fiber from a plant source, then adding it to processed foods to boost their fiber content, Karp says. For instance, if you're making a protein bar, you might take tapioca fiber from a plant and add it in.
How much fiber should you eat per day?
It depends on your age, according to the 2020 to 2025 Dietary Guidelines:
- Age 18: 25 grams of fiber
- Ages 19-30: 28 grams of fiber
- Ages 31-50: 25 grams of fiber
- Ages 51+: 22 grams of fiber
The best strategy for hitting this goal is to spread your servings out across your meals and snacks for the day, says Gans. "All of your meals should include at least eight grams of fiber," she says.
What foods are highest in fiber?
- Lentils: 7.8 grams of fiber per half cup
- High-fiber bran cereal: 9.1 grams of fiber per half cup
- Navy beans: 9.6 grams of fiber per half cup, cooked
- Black beans: 7.7 grams of fiber per half cup, cooked
- Artichokes: 7.2 grams of fiber per half cup, cooked
- Chia seeds: 39 grams of fiber per half cup
- Split peas: 25 grams of fiber per half cup
- Raspberries: 4 grams of fiber per half cup
- Rolled oats (for oatmeal): 2 grams of fiber per half cup
- Quinoa: 2.5 grams of fiber per half cup
- Barley: 16 grams of fiber per half cup
- Chickpeas: 17.5 grams of fiber per half cup
- Medium pear: 6 grams of fiber
- Half an avocado: 6 grams of fiber
How can I eat more fiber?
There are tons of ways to up your fiber intake by eating more of the foods above. Start by incorporating one high-fiber food into each meal, Karp says.
Here are some ideas from Karp and Hake:
- For breakfast: Mix chia seeds into your yogurt
- For lunch: Add navy beans to your lunch soup or salad
- For snacks: Eat a medium pear or a half an avocado
- For dinner: Put lentils in tacos, chili, or in stuffed cooked peppers
What are the pros of eating fiber for weight loss?
- Improves digestion: Fiber—insoluble fiber, in specific—can "speed up the passage of food through our digestive tract, so it can promote a bowel movement," Karp says.
- Improves stomach health: Some types of soluble fiber are prebiotics, which are good gut bacteria, Karp says. This creates a healthier microbiome, which is the collection of all the organisms living in our body, and your gut microbiome in particular. Having a healthier microbiome is tied to general improved health and feeling better physically. (For instance, oftentimes irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, might involve an imbalance of bacteria in the microbiome, causing discomfort.)
- Keeps you fuller for longer: Getting an adequate amount of fiber through whole foods (not fiber supplements) keeps you more satiated for longer because fiber digests much slower than simple carbs. And the more full and satisfied you feel after eating healthy, fiber-filled foods, the less you'll be tempted to eat less nutritious snacks in the middle of the afternoon, says Gans.
- Balances blood sugar: "When you're eating foods that have fiber in them, you're slowly releasing food from your stomach into your intestine to then be absorbed into your bloodstream," Karp says. It slows down your blood sugar response so that it doesn't spike and drop, but instead rises and falls more naturally.
- Lowers cholesterol: When you're digesting soluble fiber, it moves through your digestive system as a gel-like substance. During this process, it simultaneously lowers your cholesterol, balances blood sugar, and helps your bowel movements, Karp says.
- Helps you eat more healthier overall: Another bonus that comes with packing fiber into your diet is that healthy, weight-loss friendly foods, like fruits, veggies, and whole grains, are already full of the stuff, says Gans. So by aiming to meet your fiber quota, rather than counting calories, you'll likely end up making better food choices overall, she says.
Is it possible to eat too much fiber?
Yup, especially if you're incorporating supplements into your diet or if you consume in excess of the dietary guideline limit for your age. If you've had too much, you'll feel it. "Consuming an excess of the dietary guidelines can cause gas, bloating, discomfort, nausea, and even constipation," says Hake.
Again, the best way to avoid going overboard is to avoid fiber supplements. (Tip: It's also better to get fiber from real foods because it encourages you to eat more nutritious options, which you might not if you rely on supps—not ideal for weight loss.)
If you're just beginning to monitor and up your fiber intake, Hake suggests increasing gradually to allow your body time to adjust and minimize symptoms. Drinking plenty of water can also help reduce any likelihood of stomach aches from upping your daily fiber. Do all of that, and you'll be golden.
Macaela MacKenzie is a journalist who writes about women and power. She covers women’s equality through the lenses of sports, wellness, and the gender gap across industries and is the author of MONEY, POWER, RESPECT: How Women in Sports Are Shaping the Future of Feminism. Mac was most recently a Senior Editor at Glamour where she directed all health and wellness coverage. Her work has appeared in Elle, Glamour, SELF, Bustle, Marie Claire, Allure, Women's Health, and Forbes among other publications.
Jasmine Gomez is the lifestyle and commerce editor at Women’s Health, where she tests and writes about the best products across home, sleep, travel, and more. She holds an MA in digital journalism and has contributed to other outlets including Seventeen, Teen Vogue, MamásLatinas, Bustle, and more. When not shopping online, she enjoys cooking, dance cardio workouts, karaoke, and traveling to places with palm trees.
