How on earth are you supposed to eat 30 grams of fibre every day?

[SleafordSods]

I’ve been listening to The Fibre Factor on R4.

I’m not on TikTok but according to this show, lots of TikTokers are now moving away from promoting eating high protein to now stressing how important it is to get 30g a day.

How do you do it though? Foods I thought might be high in fibre, like a banana, only have roughly 2 grams.

So if you’re getting 30 grams a day, how are you getting it?

I have a smoothie every morning for breakfast with frozen berries, cocoa and peanut butter and add in 4 tspns chia seeds. There's 20g in the chia seeds alone and it's about 26/7g fibre just for one meal. Add in a healthy amount of fruit and veg in lunch/dinner and I must get way more than 30g a day.

4 tspns chia seeds. There's 20g in the chia seeds alone

4 teaspoons or tablespoons? Because there isn’t that much fibre in 4 tsps but 70g of chia seeds is a lot to consume daily.

20g is around the maximum recommended amount of chia seeds to take.

That’s crazy - my mam is mid 80s and can pile away a plate heaped with veggies

your stomach doesn’t automatically shrink loads as you age

Good for her. Praying for you that you never suffer with IBS or acid reflux where you can only eat very small volumes of food at one time.

In terms of actual ageing your stomach might not shrink in a practical sense but your appetite gets much less as you age, there are always outliers, she is unusual in that respect.

I love frozen green peas, but I’d suggest beans rather than peas, every day. You can buzz up a tin of cannellini beans in almost anything. If you eat a large tin of beans over wholemeal toast, you’re over 20g just with that.

Can you manage well cooked sweet potato or a baked potato? I agree pulses and beans can be horrendous for people with such conditions

I'm not sure where the bulk is? The porridge or soup? Or the extra veg i add? Smaller portions, more frequently would work.

Anyway, for those who are troubled with gas etc, this guy has lots of tips to.lessen the negative effects of fiber.

And this dr covers lots about gut health too.

I cant remember what clip I watched up thread now, some woman making up a porridgey smoothie with pistachios and something or other then adding fruit on top, it was a hefty bowl. Looked fabulous but I wouldnt be able to do that much so would negate the amount of fibre in it

Yes smaller portions more often is of course the treatment plan for many of these gut issues, its much more comfortable, thats my point Ive been making that some people have to eat less bulk, you would eat smaller portions.

But in order to get through that bowl, if I kept coming back to it throughout the day would mean Im mostly eating that at not much else

So some of us need food which is more dense so its smaller to get the variety in, by its nature fibrous foods are bulky which is great if you can do the volume but not if you cant.

This is where seeds and nuts come in more helpfully, they're more dense. I cant eat a volume of greens or a bowl of berries but I can eat a handful of nuts more easily.

Oh really, I didn't know that. I have 45g in my breakfast every day and have done for about 5 years. What's the issue with more than 20g?

Oh yes you're right. The website i looked at was wrong.

AI says this

The generally recommended maximum daily intake for chia seeds is 1 to 2 tablespoons (approx. 15–30 grams) for adults, which provides significant fiber and nutrients without causing digestive issues. While up to 50 grams (about 5 tablespoons) may be safe for some, excessive consumption can cause bloating, gas, or intestinal discomfort due to high fiber and water-absorption properties.
Key Takeaways for Consumption:

• Beginner Dosage: Start with 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon per day to assess tolerance.
• Safety Precautions: Always drink plenty of water when consuming chia seeds to avoid potential digestive blockage.
• Health Considerations:
• Individuals with kidney disease, those on blood pressure medication, or those on blood thinners should consult a doctor due to high phosphorus/potassium levels and potential drug interactions
• .
• Usage: They can be consumed soaked in liquid (like chia pudding) or added to smoothies, yogurt, and oatmeal.

For most families adding some peas and raspberries is easy and quite acceptable to children. Of course variety js important, growing up we ate butter beans a lot as a vegetable and I might try that with my kids.

I was making my son’s lunch today and realised it’s pretty low fibre. There was maybe 4g across it. He had 6g at breakfast (three weetabix) so not great across two meals. Dinner tonight is ham, egg and chips and we’ll have baked beans and garden peas. I think he’ll get up to around 20g.

My kids always have cucumber and grapes as their fruit and veg in lunch boxes as they travel well and are consistently eaten. Raspberries and carrots with some hummus would be better but my kids don’t really like that. They’d happily eat apple slices and peanut butter (I buy the healthiest peanut butter I can) but not allowed and not well travelled.

I’ll be thinking about increasing the lunch fibre.

A lot of that veg though has negligble amounts of fibre in them

Would they like something like roasted chickpeas as little snacks? I think a school would allow that perhaps

Its nother reason why I view salad stuffs as fairly lacking in any nutrients for the most part.

I often make a tahini and butter bean (or any white bean) dressing/dip, call it what you will, throw it over veg or salad, mix it with chicken or tuna instead of mayo. Its really nice.

@soupyspoon that’s my point, it’s healthy and nutritious on the surface but actually low in fibre and not very filling.

I don’t know the last time I offered them roasted chick peas, that’s a thought. They don’t eat quite a bit of popcorn, again healthy not processed stuff. So that does help.

I might make some flapjacks and see what dried fruit and seeds I can put in that they’ll tolerate.

I want to keep practising with roasted chickpeas as I didnt flavour them enough last time and some of them exploded, so will give it another go!

Ah ok. Given I've been eating 45g daily for 5 years will no ill effects I'll assume I don't need to worry 🤣

Maybe add some seeds to the weetabix? Or do a slice of toast with a nut butter instead of 1 of the biscuits? Or try overnight oats with added flax/chia etc if too busy for porridge in the morning. You can grate apple in, add dried fruits too. I like to add cinnamon. Or make as porridge and then serve cold the next day, it is like rice pudding.

For lunch you could try roast carrot and white bean dip with wholemeal pita sticks? Sprinkle with seeds. I also saw beet and avocado dip, with beans added. Looked delicious.

Beans sound like a good addition to tea time too.

I sneak beans or lentils into everything these days. Soups, salads, mince dishes, curry, dips. And if I can't, I sprinkle seeds willy nilly too.

Just remember fiber needs water to work, so keep him Hydrated too.

People bandy around carrots a lot in this discussion but they arent great providers of fibre

What about a sort of halwa type recipe with sweetened parsnip, grated apple, bit of carrot, mixed with seeds for bulk and the dried fruits. If you kept the sugar out of it it would be really healthy. Fresh coconut in it would also boost the fibre

I might see what AI tells me about how I could make this.

Psyllium husk
Chia seeds soaked in kefir
oat cakes and humus
lentils in stews, curry, soups
chuck a can of bean salad on your regular salad

eat your 10 veg and fruit a day

Ok, long post incoming, bear with...

This is a clever twist on a traditional Indian dessert. By swapping some of the heavy fats for the natural fiber and structure of parsnip and chia, you’re creating something that feels indulgent but acts more like a "superfood" snack.
The sweetness comes primarily from the parsnip and apple (both of which sweeten as they cook), allowing us to keep the added sugar to a bare minimum.
Ingredients

• The Base: 1 cup grated parsnip, 1 cup grated carrot, 1 large apple (grated, skin on).
• The Liquid: 1.5 cups skimmed or semi-skimmed milk.
• The Texture: 3 tbsp chia seeds, ¼ cup fresh grated coconut.
• The Sweetener: 1-2 tbsp honey or jaggery (optional, adjust to taste) + ¼ cup mixed dried fruits (raisins, chopped dates, or apricots).
• The Aromatics: ½ tsp cardamom powder, a pinch of cinnamon.
• The Healthy Fat: 1 tsp ghee or coconut oil (just to toast the spices).

Instructions

1. Sauté the Roots: Heat the ghee/oil in a non-stick pan. Add the grated carrots and parsnips. Sauté on medium heat for 5–7 minutes. Parsnips have an earthy sweetness that develops beautifully when lightly toasted.
2. Simmer with Milk: Pour in the milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the milk has been mostly absorbed by the vegetables.
3. Add Fruit & Coconut: Stir in the grated apple, fresh coconut, and dried fruits. The apple provides natural pectin which helps with the "set," while the coconut adds a creamy mouthfeel without the calories of canned coconut milk.
4. The "Set" Phase: Once the mixture is thick and moist but not runny, stir in the chia seeds and your chosen sweetener. The chia seeds will begin to absorb the remaining moisture, acting as a natural binder to make the halwa more solid.
5. Finish: Sprinkle in the cardamom and cinnamon. Stir for another 2–3 minutes until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan.
6. Cool & Serve: You can serve this warm, or press it into a square container and refrigerate. Once cold, the chia seeds will have fully set the halwa, allowing you to cut it into dense, high-fiber fudge squares.

Why this works

• Parsnip vs. Sugar: Parsnips have a higher starch-to-sugar conversion when heated than carrots, meaning you need less "white sugar" to feel satisfied.
• Chia Power: Instead of using heavy amounts of khoya (milk solids) or flour to thicken it, the chia seeds provide a "jelly" structure and a massive fiber boost.
• Volume: The high water content in the roots and apple means you get a large portion size for relatively few calories.

Here is the nutritional breakdown for the recipe. This halwa is quite dense and filling, so the values are calculated per generous serving (assuming the recipe makes 6 servings).
Nutritional Summary (Per Serving)

• Calories: ~135 kcal
• Fiber: ~6.5g
• Sugar: ~11g (mostly natural from roots and fruit)

Detailed Breakdown (Full Recipe) To give you the most accurate picture, here is how the ingredients stack up for the entire batch:

Ingredient
Calories
Dietary Fiber

1 cup Parsnip (grated)
100 kcal
6.5g

1 cup Carrot (grated)
45 kcal
3.1g

1 large Apple (with skin)
110 kcal
5.1g

1.5 cups Semi-skimmed Milk
160 kcal
0g

3 tbsp Chia Seeds
150 kcal
11.0g

1/4 cup Fresh Coconut (grated)
70 kcal
2.0g

1/4 cup Mixed Dried Fruits
105 kcal
2.0g

1 tbsp Honey (optional)
64 kcal
0g

1 tsp Ghee/Oil
45 kcal
0g

Total Batch
849 kcal
31.7g

Why this is a "Gold Star" Dessert

• The Fiber Factor: Most traditional desserts have less than 1g of fiber. At over 6g per serving, this provides about 25% of your daily recommended intake in one go. This comes primarily from the parsnip and chia seeds.
• Low Glycemic Load: While there is sugar (from the apple and honey), the high fiber and healthy fats from the chia/coconut slow down the absorption, preventing the "sugar crash" typical of sweets.
• Volume vs. Density: Because the roots and apples are mostly water and fiber, you get a much larger portion than you would with a flour-based cake or traditional oily halwa.

Would you like me to suggest some high-fiber toppings, like toasted almonds or flax seeds, to increase the crunch?

I’ve had 10.3g so far today plus however much is in a white roll (not got the packet with me)

tea is pasta, broccoli, peas, sausages plus Parmesan and cream and chicken stock and a side salad so that should push it up a bit

That wont push it up barely at all.

I’m trying my best! I realised how little I was getting and trying to satisfy my hunger by upping it

breakfast was apricot wheats with milled seeds
lunch a tuna roll with salad, protein yoghurt (has a bit of fibre in) baked lentil crisps
the (whole meal) pasta has (made 4 portions) 2 whole broccoli in plus a load of peas plus I’ll have a full bag of salad on the side, add some more milled seeds and various other salad veg

As with similar dietary dilemmas, you will discover that virtually all of mumsnet claim they eat endless fibre easily and their dc just LOVE fruit, veg, brown or whole grain or sourdough and no sugar/UPF/pre-made stuff passes their lips. The real world is clearly much more of a mixed bag.

yes it’s tough to eat ‘perfectly’ - aim for good enough, a balance etc. I try to buy some fibre rich breads, cereals etc but these are interspersed with white bread, sugary cereals etc. that is the reality of what I can get my lot to accept!