Build. Swap. Boost.

Around 96% of UK adults don't eat enough fibre.It's one of the biggest nutritional gaps in our diet – yet hardly anyone talks about it.

I was reading a post from another coach this week about fibre.

One statistic he shared that really jumped out at me.

Around 96% of UK adults fall short of the recommended amount of fibre.

That's almost everyone.

As he pointed out, protein gets all the headlines. Fibre quietly gets on with some very important jobs.

And he's right!

• Fibre helps keep us full.

• It feeds the bacteria living in our gut.

• It supports healthy digestion.

• It helps manage blood sugar and cholesterol.

• Diets higher in fibre are also linked with lower rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.

Not bad for something most of us rarely think about.

The recommendation is 30 grams a day. The average adult? Closer to 16–17 grams.

Before you reach for another tracking app though…

I don't think most people need to start counting grams of fibre.

I think they just need a better strategy.

1. Build

Start with the habit you've probably heard a hundred times...Aim for at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day.

Will that get you to 30 grams of fibre?

Probably not.

But it lays the foundation.

Five-a-day also gives you:

• more volume on your plate (but few calories)

• more vitamins and minerals

• more antioxidants

• and of course a decent chunk of your daily fibre.
  

One habit. Lots of benefits.

2. Swap

Once the foundation is there, look for easy wins.

Choose higher-fibre versions of foods you're already eating.

• Wholemeal bread instead of white.

• Wholewheat pasta instead of white.

• Brown or mixed-grain rice instead of white.

• Porridge instead of low-fibre breakfast cereals.

• Whole fruit instead of fruit juice.
  

You don't have to make every swap.

If your favourite Thai green curry is best with jasmine rice, enjoy it.

Maybe the easy win is simply changing your everyday sandwich to wholemeal bread or swapping your breakfast cereal for porridge.

Look for the swaps that give you the biggest nutritional gain for the smallest sacrifice.

None of these changes are life-changing on their own.

Together, they start adding up.

3. Boost

This is where the biggest gains usually come from.

Rather than replacing foods, add something that naturally contains fibre.

• A handful of nuts.

• A spoonful of chia or flax seeds.

• Some chickpeas in a salad.

• Lentils in a pasta sauce.

• Extra peas or beans with dinner.

The goal isn't to reinvent every meal.

It's simply to make the meals you already eat work a little harder.

You don't need to memorise fibre tables or count another nutrient.

Just remember three words.

Build. Swap. Boost.

Build your meals around a good potion of vegetables , and yes some lean protein..

Swap to higher-fibre choices where it makes sense.

Boost meals with beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and extra vegetables.

If you do that consistently, you'll almost certainly eat more fibre than you are today—and your overall diet will be healthier for it.

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Thanks,

Jamie