If there is one nutrient that almost everyone should be eating more of, it’s fiber. Most Americans fall below the recommended daily intake, which is just one of the reasons they may turn to a fiber supplement. But if you were to compare fiber supplements vs. fiber-rich food, is one a better way to consume fiber than the other?
“Everyone would benefit from eating more fiber-rich foods,” says Supriya Rao, M.D., a gastroenterologist with Integrated Gastroenterology Consultants in Lowell, MA. “The RDA is about 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. Sadly, most Americans average about 15 grams per day.” This means that your digestive system and microbiome are not getting the fiber they need to function optimally, which can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms, inflammation, and more.
Meet the experts: Supriya Rao, M.D., a gastroenterologist with Integrated Gastroenterology Consultants in Lowell, MA; Trisha Pasricha, M.D., a gastroenterologist, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and author of You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong.
Here, gastroenterologists explain the differences between fiber supplements and fiber you get from whole foods, plus when and why you might choose each and if both can be part of a gut-healthy diet.
Benefits of fiber-rich foods
Fiber-rich foods should be a mainstay in everybody’s diet and almost everyone could be eating more of them, says gastroenterologist Trisha Pasricha, M.D., an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and author of You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong. “Fiber from whole plant foods does much more than regulate bowel movements—it also feeds the microbes that live in our gut,” she explains. “When we eat a variety of plant foods—fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds—we’re supplying the gut microbiome with the fuel it needs to produce beneficial compounds that support digestive and overall health.”
When the beneficial gut bacteria break down fiber, they produce short-chain fatty acids, organic compounds that support nervous system function, curb inflammation, and facilitate communication between the gut and brain, per research in Frontiers in Neuroscience.
“Whole foods provide many different types of fiber along with nutrients and plant compounds that work together to support digestion and the gut microbiome,” says Dr. Rao. That includes soluble fiber, which dissolves in water and slows down digestion, and insoluble fiber, which does not dissolve in water and supports digestive motility, according to the Mayo Clinic. Then there are the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that fiber-rich plant foods provide that further support overall health.
All told, separate research in Frontiers in Neuroscience notes that increasing your intake of fiber-rich foods can reduce your risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, colon cancer, and inflammation.
Fiber supplement benefits
“Ideally, we’d all meet our fiber needs through food, but the reality is that most Americans fall far short of the recommended daily intake,” says Dr. Pasricha. “When someone isn’t able to consistently get enough fiber through diet alone, that’s when I suggest considering a supplement.”
While studies have shown benefits of fiber supplements for constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and lowering cholesterol, there is little to suggest that you wouldn’t reap these same benefits from merely eating more fiber-rich foods. Still, if you need some help reaching the recommended daily intake of fiber, a supplement may be beneficial.
“The fiber supplement I recommend most often is psyllium husk, because it’s a soluble fiber that behaves similarly to the kinds of fiber we get from plant foods,” says Dr. Pasricha. “When mixed with water, psyllium forms a gel that helps regulate stool consistency. It can add bulk when someone is constipated, but it can also absorb excess liquid during diarrhea, which makes it uniquely helpful for stabilizing bowel habits.”
Potential downsides of fiber supplements
The biggest drawback of fiber supplements is that they contain one type of fiber and nothing else. “Supplements can help fill a gap, but they deliver a single isolated fiber, whereas whole foods provide a diverse array of fibers and nutrients that work together to support digestive health,” explains Dr. Pasricha. For this reason, Dr. Rao adds, it’s impossible for them to replicate the vast range of benefits you can get from incorporating a variety of fiber-rich plant foods into your diet.
Fiber supplements vs. fiber-rich foods: Which is best for gut health?
“For gut health, fiber from whole foods is the better approach,” says Dr. Rao. Not only do you get the fiber that supports your digestive system and your microbiome, but you also get all the other nutrients found in whole foods that support your overall health.
Still, fiber supplements can play a role in a healthy diet. “Fiber supplements like psyllium can be extremely helpful when someone is struggling with irregular bowel movements or isn’t able to meet their fiber needs through diet,” Dr. Pasricha says. “But I think of supplements as a backup plan, not a replacement for the wide range of fibers we get from real foods.”
Dietary supplements are products intended to supplement the diet. They are not medicines and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure diseases. Be cautious about taking dietary supplements if you are pregnant or nursing. Also, be careful about giving supplements to a child, unless recommended by their healthcare provider.
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