Struggling with Bloating, Constipation, or Hunger? Here’s Why Fiber Could Be Your Missing Link

If you're struggling with bloating, constipation, or constant hunger, you might be tempted to reach for quick fixes—laxatives, digestive aids, stool softeners, enzymes, probiotics, or even castor oil packs. These can all be helpful when used appropriately, but what if the solution is simpler and more sustainable?

What if the answer is simply to add more beneficial foods to your diet?

Let’s talk about one of the most overlooked yet essential components of good digestive health: fiber—the number one nutritional deficiency in the American diet. Fiber is found in foods that are widely accessible and affordable. Every single plant contains fiber: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, legumes—and even mushrooms, which, though technically fungi, also contribute.

“Every plant will offer a mix of diverse types of fiber that include both soluble and insoluble fiber and have varying degrees of fermentability and viscosity.”(Bulsiewicz, 2023)

This is an important concept to keep in mind. Don’t get bogged down in the biochemistry—just remember that all plant matter contains fiber, in varying amounts.

The most recent data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) indicates that only 4% of adult men and 12% of adult women are consuming adequate fiber. When pooling results across all Americans, including children and adults, only 6% are meeting their daily fiber requirements (Bulsiewicz, 2023).

That’s astonishing—only 6% of Americans are meeting their daily fiber needs!

The U.S. National Academy of Medicine recommends 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 kilocalories consumed—about 30–38 grams per day for most men and 21–25 grams per day for most women (Trumbo et al., 2002).

I've worked with many clients for whom fiber was the major missing piece in their health journey. One client in particular comes to mind—a woman in her late 30s who came to me for help with chronic constipation. She had struggled with it since childhood and had even visited the ER multiple times for fecal impaction. Laxatives had become a long-term part of her routine.

At the time, she held a high-stakes, sedentary job that required intense focus and didn’t allow for regular bathroom breaks. As a result, she structured her meals and water intake around her workday: drinking very little water in the morning and afternoon, eating a light breakfast, skipping lunch due to time constraints, and frequently eating out because she didn’t have time to cook. Her diet was highly processed, low in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables—essentially a Standard American Diet.

Right away, I could see that her diet was severely lacking in fiber. Her lab work revealed multiple nutritional deficiencies, which we also addressed. I gave her a few digestive aids, including magnesium citrate as part of a support toolkit in case she went more than two days without a bowel movement.

She responded beautifully—incorporating the dietary changes and even taking a much-needed hiatus from work to reevaluate her work-life balance. I’ll never forget what she said during her follow-up, after she began to feel better and her constipation was resolved:

“So you’re telling me I need to eat vegetables every day?”“Yes, you got it!” I replied.

As you’ll see below, vegetables aren’t the only source of fiber—but they are a great one. She’s doing great now, and I’m grateful that her fixes were simple and didn’t require more intensive intervention.

Breaking Down Fiber

There are two main types of fiber: soluble and insoluble.

Soluble Fiber

Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract. This helps slow digestion and keeps you full longer. Soluble fiber is generally fermentable, which means it feeds the gut microbiota and produces beneficial byproducts.

One of these byproducts is butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) that:

• Nourishes colon cells (enterocytes)

• Regulates inflammation and immune function

• Helps maintain mucosal barrier integrity

SCFAs are considered the most important metabolites produced by the gut microbiome. One fascinating fact: SCFAs stimulate the release of GLP-1.

GLP-1 slows gastric emptying, enhances glucose-dependent insulin release, promotes early satiety, and reduces food intake. This is the mechanism behind medications like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy). A 28-day high-fiber diet study showed increased post-meal GLP-1 levels, with improved HbA1c levels attributed to changes in the gut microbiome and increased butyrate (Bulsiewicz, 2023).

Other benefits of soluble fiber include:

• Binding bile acids to lower LDL cholesterol and reduce cardiovascular risk (Brown et al., 1999)

• Slowing glucose absorption to improve blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity (Weickert & Pfeiffer, 2008)

• Supporting appetite regulation and weight management by increasing satiety (Solah et al., 2016)

• Easing constipation by softening stools (Slavin, 2013)

• Lowering systemic inflammation (Ma et al., 2006)

• Potentially reducing the risk of colorectal cancer (Louis et al., 2014)

  
  

Soluble Fiber Sources (Aim for ~10g/day):

• Oats: ½ cup dry (1 cup cooked) = ~2g

• Barley: 1 cup cooked = 2–3g

• Legumes: 1 cup cooked (chickpeas, black beans, lima beans) = 2–3g

• Sweet potatoes: 1 medium = ~2g

• Jerusalem artichokes: 1 cup cooked = 2–3g

• Unripe bananas: 1 medium = ~1.5g

• Apples/pears (without skin): ~1–1.5g

• Citrus fruits (e.g., oranges): ~1.8g

• Carrots: 1 medium = ~1.1g

• Psyllium husk: 1 tbsp = ~5g

• Onions/garlic: small amounts = inulin + FOS

  
  

Insoluble Fiber

Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. It remains largely unchanged as it moves through your digestive tract, adding bulk and helping maintain regular bowel movements.

Insoluble Fiber Sources (Aim for ~20g/day):

• Wheat bran: ¼ cup = ~6g

• Brown rice: 1 cup cooked = ~2.4g

• Whole wheat pasta: 1 cup = ~3.5g

• Quinoa: 1 cup = ~2.5g

• Bulgur: 1 cup = ~4.2g

• Carrots (raw): 1 medium = ~2g

• Green beans (cooked): 1 cup = ~2.7g

• Cauliflower (raw): 1 cup = ~2.1g

• Zucchini (with skin): 1 cup = ~1.3g

• Broccoli (cooked): 1 cup = ~2.4g

• Apples/pears (with skin): ~2.8–3.1g

• Prunes (5 pieces): ~2.5g

• Raisins (¼ cup): ~1.3g

• Dates (3 Medjool): ~2g

• Almonds (1 oz): ~2.8g

• Sunflower seeds (1 oz): ~2g

• Lentils, pinto beans, black beans: ~9–10g per cooked cup

  
  

If you choose to consume psyllium husk for additional fiber, here’s a recommended method: Add the recommended amount to water, let it sit for about five minutes until it becomes gloppy, then drink it. Ideally, take it 5–10 minutes before a meal.

A Fun Challenge

A fun challenge I often give my clients is to aim for at least 30 different plant foods per week. This includes fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains (such as quinoa, buckwheat, oats, barley, wheat berries, and whole grain bread), nuts and seeds, and even herbs and spices.

This recommendation is based on a study that compared the microbiomes of participants who consumed more than 30 plant foods per week with those who ate fewer than 10. The researchers found that those who ate a greater variety of plant types had significantly more diverse gut microbiomes. Interestingly, they also had fewer antibiotic resistance genes in their microbiomes. The theory is that different types of dietary fibers and resistant starches support a more diverse microbial community (McDonald et al., 2018).

I hope this post has sparked your curiosity about the foods you eat every day and inspired you to find simple ways to add more fiber to your diet. Fiber is one of the most accessible and powerful tools available for supporting digestion, gut health, metabolic wellness, and beyond.

The best part? It’s naturally found in everyday whole foods.

Before turning to supplements or complicated protocols, try the simplest approach first: add more plants to your plate. Small changes—like including beans in your lunch, snacking on fresh fruit, or sprinkling flaxseeds over your oatmeal—can make a meaningful difference over time.

Your gut—and your entire body—will thank you.

At IVY Integrative, you can work with one practitioner or build your own team of holistic practitioners! Reach your optimum health in-person or online. Check out our Get Started page to learn how to work with us!

Author: Dr. Yelena Okhotin ND, LAc 

References:

1. Brown, L., Rosner, B., Willett, W. W., & Sacks, F. M. (1999). Cholesterol-lowering effects of dietary fiber: a meta-analysis. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 69(1), 30-42.

2. Bulsiewicz, W. J. (2023). The Importance of Dietary Fiber for Metabolic Health. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. PMC10498976

3. Louis, P., Hold, G. L., & Flint, H. J. (2014). The gut microbiota, bacterial metabolites and colorectal cancer. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 12(10), 661-672.

4. Ma, Y., Griffith, J. A., Chasan-Taber, L., Olendzki, B. C., Jackson, E., Stanek, E. J., ... & Ockene, I. S. (2006). Association between dietary fiber and markers of systemic inflammation in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study. The Journal of Nutrition, 136(3), 632-640.

5. McDonald, D., Hyde, E., Debelius, J. W., Morton, J. T., Gonzalez, A., et al. (2018). American Gut: an Open Platform for Citizen Science Microbiome Research. mSystems, 3. https://doi.org/10.1128/msystems.00031-18

6. Slavin, J. (2013). Fiber and prebiotics: mechanisms and health benefits. Nutrients, 5(4), 1417-1435.

7. Solah, V. A., Kerr, D. A., Hunt, W. J., Boushey, C. J., & McNaughton, S. A. (2016). Effect of fiber supplementation on body weight, body composition, and inflammation in overweight adults: A randomized controlled trial. Nutrition, 32(7-8), 850-855.

8. Trumbo, P., Schlicker, S., Yates, A. A., & Poos, M. (2002). Dietary reference intakes for energy, carbohydrate, fiber, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein, and amino acids. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 102(11), 1621–1630. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0002-8223(02)90346-9

9. Weickert, M. O., & Pfeiffer, A. F. H. (2008). Metabolic effects of dietary fiber consumption and prevention of diabetes. The Journal of Nutrition, 138(3), 439-442.

Disclaimer:

This information is generalized and intended for educational purposes only. Due to potential individual contraindications, please see your primary care provider before implementing any strategies in these posts.