Eat More of This Food Type to Transform Your Health, Say Doctors
Ah, January, the annual scramble to undo December’s damage. After a month of indulgence, millions of us are setting New Year’s resolutions to exercise more and eat better. But according to top doctors, one simple dietary tweak could make a genuine difference: eat more fibre.
Yet most Brits aren’t even close to hitting the recommended 30 grams of fibre a day. ‘Most people have a significant daily “fibre gap” of around 10 grams a day,’ GP Dr Binita Kalaria told LADbible.
Why Is Fibre So Important?
While much less sexy than protein or superfoods, fibre is an unsung hero when it comes to weight loss and overall health. ‘Fibre is a type of carbohydrate, but unlike other carbs we consume, it isn’t broken down into glucose during digestion and isn’t absorbed by the body. This means we only take in a fraction of its calories,’ added Dr Carrie Ruxton.
‘Compared with fat, fibre has less than a quarter of the calories weight for weight, but its biggest benefit when it comes to losing weight is that fibre has a beneficial impact on our gut bacteria which stimulate the hormones that make us feel fuller after eating.’
Translation: eat more fibre, and you’re less likely to overeat, because you’ll stay fuller, longer. It’s like a cheat code for cutting calories without feeling hungry. A diet rich in fibre can also improve digestion, keep your heart healthy, and reduce your risk of diabetes and even cancer.
Luckily, getting more fibre doesn’t require a complicated meal plan or expensive supplements. Readily available high-fibre foods include avocados, lentils, oats, pears, raspberries, broccoli, carrots, and even popcorn.
‘When we eat enough fibre in our diet,’ added Dr Ruxton, ‘we see double benefits when it comes to weight loss: we take in fewer calories and we curb our hunger.’
So forget crash diets or quick fixes; focus on fibre this year and let the results speak for themselves.
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Isaac Williams is Multiplatform Editor for both Women’s Health UK and Men’s Health UK, guiding and supporting the content teams to create content across all platforms.
Isaac’s love of health and fitness began at Loughborough University, where he graduated with a History and English degree in 2014. His first job was at Men’s Running magazine, where he progressed from Staff Writer to Editor. Among his highlights of those four years include completing a 24-hour track race (never again), just about finishing a multi-day ultramarathon in the Azores, and chugging his way around a ‘beer mile’.
Isaac ventured into the world of freelance journalism in 2018, interviewing some of the biggest names in sport – like Anthony Joshua and Ben Stokes – and writing features for the likes of The Guardian, Red Bull, ShortList and BBC Countryfile. He was also a regular contributor to an adventure series called ‘The Man Who’: interviewing some of the world’s most extreme explorers from the wilds of Caffè Nero.
In late-2019, Isaac became Editor of Men’s Fitness UK. In his five years there, Isaac was responsible for editing the monthly magazine and managing website content, ultimately helping the brand transition to a ‘digital-first’ approach.
He joined Hearst UK as Multiplatform Editor in December 2024, where he manages day-to-day digital output, edits content and writes articles on all things health and fitness.
When he’s not hammering at his keyboard, Isaac enjoys exercise and trying – unsuccessfully, so far – to teach his baby son to kick a football. You can follow Isaac on Instagram @isaacw1993.
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