Fiber has not always been a sexy topic. Maybe the word “fiber” makes you think of the powdered supplement your grandma adds to water when she’s constipated or nutritional recommendation you get from your doctor–very unglamorous. But I’d like to give fiber a major rebranding (like a Abercrombie & Fitch level rebranding) because the topic of fiber may not be sexy, but it makes you sexy. Fiber is essential for every function in your body, meaning it’s essential to looking and feeling your best. No matter what your health goals are, fiber is probably a key tool to help you get there. Let me explain.

What is fiber?

For all the low-carb dieters out there (hopefully there are few of you), I’m about to burst your bubble: Fiber is a type of carbohydrate and its essential to get a lot of it. It’s a unique carbohydrate because the body cannot break it down. In other words, fiber does not get converted into glucose (AKA energy) like other carbohydrates. There are two types of fiber: soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber dissolves in water, and its main job is to help keep glucose and blood cholesterol levels balanced. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water, meaning it goes through your digestive tract in full form, helping food and toxins move through the digestive system and keeps things regular.

What are the benefits of fiber?

Even though fiber does not get converted to glucose like other forms of carbohydrates, it is essential for glucose management. Fiber helps to regulate the body’s use of glucose, keeping blood sugar stable and balanced, so you experience less cravings and more balanced energy levels. This means that excess glucose is less likely to be stored as fat, and you’re also less likely to experience cravings and symptoms of low blood sugar (like hanger, weakness, dizziness, need to eat whatever is in front of you, etc.).

The other major benefit of fiber is related to gut health, but it doesn’t stop there. Fiber is what pushes waste, toxins, etc. through the digestive tract and into bowel movements, keeping the digestive system running smoothly and keeping you regular. Obviously this is good for gut health: Constipation or irregular bowel movements can cause bloating and other stomach-related issues, but long-term, it can cause a bacterial overgrowth and other imbalanced gut issues. But–as you probably already know–gut issues do not just affection digestion. Lack of fiber is one of the main causes of hormonal imbalances and symptoms such as PCOS, heavy periods, etc. Consistent bowel movements is how hormones remain balanced. Excess estrogen is released from the body through bowel movements (and excess estrogen and toxins binds to insoluble fiber to be extracted from the body), so if you’re not having regular bowel movements (AKA one after every meal ideally, which is basically none of us), estrogen dominance can happen in the body, leading to hormone-related symptoms.

To recap: Fiber is essential for everything from weight management to boosted metabolism to increased energy to balancing hormones.

How to get more fiber in your diet:

Good news: Fiber is not some difficult or pricey supplement to add to your diet. Fiber is found in plants–it really is that simple (and another reason why the body is meant to eat a dominantly plant diet). I also teach clients to check nutrition labels for fiber content because (in some cases but not all the time) it can provide some insight into how processed the food is (the fiber typically gets processed out). While most whole foods from the earth contain fiber, some of my favorite sources of high fiber are oats, chia seeds, flaxseeds, broccoli, avocados, berries, sweet potatoes, apples, nuts, and legumes like lentils or black beans. I make sure I am getting high-fiber foods with every meal-if you have eggs for breakfast, make sure you add some veggies to your omelet or get a side of fruit; or if you’re eating a pizza which is lower in fiber because it contains simple carbohydrates (AKA non-fibrous carbohydrates), order a side salad or add veggies to the pizza. I also like to add a spoonful of inulin powder, which is a prebiotic fiber, to my morning coffee or smoothie. Some other tricks/favorite products: this high-fiber sweetener instead of syrup on your pancakes or in your coffee, or a legume-based pasta (like chickpea pasta) instead of white flour.

How much fiber to aim for:

The #1 question I get asked when discussing any macro or micronutrient is “how much should I aim for?” It’s a fair question, as we all want to have guidelines to know how to be our healthiest and are used to measurable guidelines. While there is a general recommendation of grams of fiber to get per day, it’s so meaningless that there’s no use even sharing it, and here’s why: For one, the recommendation is on the lower end, and is based off of the Standard American Diet, which does not include much fiber to begin –to be healthy, we should all be getting a lot more. Secondly, every body is different and has different needs. The exact grams of fiber that is right for me will not be right for you. Lastly, your sources of fiber should not be measurable– the majority of your fiber intake should come from sources that do not have a nutrition label or an exact amount you can track on MyFitnessPal.

To know you’re getting the right amount of fiber for you, simply focus on adding in more fiber with every meal (always eating veggies or fruit with a meal, leaning into whole foods instead of processed foods, opting for high fiber produce, etc.) until you’re having regular bowel movements and feel less blood sugar spikes, low blood sugar, etc. You’ll know you have too much fiber when you feel negative changes in your digestion like extreme bloating, pain, or constipation, but in my experience, getting “too much” fiber is hard to achieve (unless you are diagnosed with Crohn’s, IBS, etc.–in which case you should work with a holistic or functional doctor to identify the right amount of fiber for you).