Updated
Updated · Business Insider · Jun 30
Dietitian Emily Leeming Urges 3 Fiber-Boosting Habits as 97% of Men Miss Daily Target
Updated
Updated · Business Insider · Jun 30

Dietitian Emily Leeming Urges 3 Fiber-Boosting Habits as 97% of Men Miss Daily Target

3 articles · Updated · Business Insider · Jun 30

Summary

  • Emily Leeming highlighted three low-effort ways to raise fiber intake: keep skins on fruits and vegetables, choose dried fruit snacks, and add high-fiber ingredients to desserts or breakfasts.
  • 28 grams a day is the U.S. recommendation, yet more than 90% of women and 97% of men fall short, according to government data cited in the report.
  • Skin-on produce can materially lift intake — a potato with skin has about 3 to 4 grams of fiber, roughly double a peeled potato, while a kiwi rises to about 3.5 grams from 2 grams.
  • 100 grams of raisins contain 3.7 grams of fiber versus 0.9 grams for grapes, though Leeming said dried fruit's concentrated sugar and calories make portion size important.
  • Leeming, a King's College London gut microbiome scientist and author of "Fiber Power," said fiber supports gut, heart and metabolic health by slowing sugar release and feeding beneficial gut microbes.

Insights

With over 90% of Americans fiber-deficient, are simple diet tips enough to solve this health crisis?
Your fiber supplement might be doing more harm than good. Is whole food the only answer?
Can desserts like brownies and chocolate pudding actually be key to improving America's gut health?