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Fiber and Low FODMAP Diet
To optimize your overall health, including your gastrointestinal health, it is important to optimize fiber intake, which can seem a little more complicated to do while being on a low FODMAP diet. Here you’ll read about the relationship between fiber and low FODMAP diet and understand how you can optimize your fiber intake.
What Is Dietary Fiber?
Fibers are carbohydrates from the edible parts of plants that are neither digested nor absorbed in the small intestine. They are therefore found in plant-based whole foods, which means in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes.
Fiber and Gut Health
Having an optimal fiber intake has many benefits for overall health, including gut health. Some fibers called prebiotics can promote the growth of good bacteria in the intestine. When fiber is fermented by bacteria present in the colon, they produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that help reduce inflammation and repair the intestinal barrier. An optimal fiber intake can also promote intestinal regularity and help prevent constipation. So-called soluble fibers form a gel when mixed with water, which can help improve stool consistency and reduce diarrhea.
Fiber Needs
Fiber needs vary by age and gender. In Europe, the recommended daily fiber intake is 30 grams. In Canada, the recommended daily fiber intake is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. In the United States, the recommended daily fiber intake is 21 to 26 grams for women and 30 to 38 grams for men. Despite the known benefits of an optimal fiber intake, it is estimated that most Canadians consume only half of the recommended fiber intake and that 93% of Americans are fiber deficient.
Fiber Intake and Low FODMAP Diet
When following a low FODMAP diet, it is important to optimize your fiber intake by choosing foods that are both high in fiber and low in FODMAPs. The table below presents examples of low FODMAP foods with their fiber content to help you.
As a guide, our low FODMAP recipes and meals can help you get a fiber intake of at least 25g/day.
Fruits
| Food (serving) | Fiber content (grams) |
| Banana, not too ripe (average size) | 2 g |
| Blueberries (125 g ~ 1 cup) | 4 g |
| Kiwis (2 fruits) | 4 g |
| Orange (average size) | 3 g |
| Papaya (140 g ~ 1 cup) | 2 g |
| Pineapple (140 g ~ 1 cup) | 2 g |
| Raspberries (58 g ~ 1/3 cup) | 3 g |
Vegetables
| Food (serving) | Fiber content (grams) |
| Broccoli, florets (75 g ~ 3/4 cup) | 2 g |
| Carrot (129 g ~ 1 cup) | 3 g |
| Eggplant (75 g ~ 1 cup) | 2,5 g |
| Kale (75 g ~ 1/2 cup) | 3 g |
| Parsnip (85 g ~ 1 average size) | 3 g |
| Potato, with skin (average size) | 4 g |
Grain products
| Food (serving) | Fiber content (grams) |
| Brown rice, cooked (180 g ~ 1 cup) | 3 g |
| Millet, cooked (184 g ~ 1 cup) | 4,5 g |
| Oat flakes (52 g ~ ½ cup) | 5,5 g |
| Quinoa (155 g ~ 1 cup) | 5,5 g |
Nuts and Grains
| Food (serving) | Fiber content (grams) |
| Chia seeds (24 g ~ 2 Tbsp) | 7 g |
| Flax seeds, ground (15 g ~ 1 Tbsp) | 2 g |
| Peanut butter (50 g ~ 2 Tbsp) | 3 g |
| Walnuts (30 g ~ 15 halves) | 2 g |
Legumes
| Food (serving) | Fiber content (grams) |
| Edamame, shelled, frozen (90 g ~ ½ cup) | 4 g |
| Green lentils, dried, yielding ~ ¼ cup (29 g) after cooking | 3 g |
| Chickpeas, canned (42 g ~ ¼ cup) | 2 g |
How to Increase Your Fiber Intake Safely
It is important not to increase your fiber intake too quickly, which could exacerbate gastrointestinal symptoms. You need to give your gut time to adapt by training it to tolerate a higher fiber intake. It is normal to have mild and tolerable symptoms when increasing your fiber intake, such as some gas or an increase in stool frequency. However, if you experience more severe symptoms, it may be because you increased your fiber intake too quickly. Imagine that you have a knee injury. It is important to do exercises to rehabilitate your knee, and it is normal to feel slight discomfort when moving it, but if you increase the duration and intensity of the exercises too quickly, the injury may worsen.
It is also very important to drink enough water when consuming fiber to optimize its effects. In people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), an optimal fiber intake is beneficial for both those who have constipation and diarrhea. The choice of the type of fiber also needs to be considered. Soluble fiber is especially helpful for people who have gastrointestinal disorders. For more personalized guidance, I recommend that you consult a Registered Dietitian with experience in gut health.
Sources
1) Government of Canada (2010) Proposed Policy: Definition and Energy Value for Dietary Fibre. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/public-involvement-partnerships/proposed-policy-definition-energy-value-dietary-fibre/consultation.html
2) Barber et al (2020) The Health Benefits of Dietary Fibre. Nutrients;12(10):3209.
3) Eswaran, Muir and Chey (2013). Fiber and functional gastrointestinal disorders. Am J Gastroenterol;108(5):718-727.
4) Gill et al (2021) Dietary fibre in gastrointestinal health and disease. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol;18(2):101-116.
5) Government of Canada (2019) Fiber. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/nutrients/fibre.html
6) USDA (2020) Dietary Guidelines For Americans 2020-2025. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf
7) FODMAP Monash app, August 2024
8) Government of Canada (2023). Canadian Nutrient File (CNF) – Search by food. https://aliments-nutrition.canada.ca/cnf-fce/?lang=eng
Author
Kathryn holds a Bachelor Degree in Nutrition as well as a Bachelor and a Master Degree in Kinesiology, all from Laval University. She is a Registered Dietitian and active member of the Ordre professionnel des Diététistes Nutritionnistes du Québec (ODNQ) and of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She holds the Monash University's certification for the FODMAP diet and IBS, and has considerable clinical experience in that area. She is also an accomplished athlete, having ran track and cross-country at a national level. Kathryn specializes in sports nutrition, weight loss, diabetes, as well as heart and gastrointestinal health.
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