Why High Fiber Foods Should Be Your Top Priority for Optimal Health

--Danielle VenHuizen, MS, RDN--Last Updated June 20, 2025

In today’s wellness-focused world, protein tends to steal the spotlight. From protein shakes to protein bars to even protein water (yes, water!), there’s no shortage of ways to meet your protein goals.

But in this quest for optimal protein status, another dietary powerhouse often gets sidelined: fiber.

Fiber and high fiber foods aren’t flashy. Fiber doesn’t promise to build big muscles or promote weight loss … even though it can actually help with all of those things. No, this humble nutrient, found in many carbohydrate-containing plant foods, often gets overlooked. In fact, we are often advised to eat less carbs, so fiber gets thrown to the wayside.

But I’m going to prove to you – fiber should be at the TOP of your list.

From helping to balance blood sugar, reducing blood pressure, flooding the body with key antioxidants and feeding the all-powerful microbiome, fiber and high fiber foods play a critical role in all aspects of health. It is arguably just as important – if not more so – than protein. Let’s dive into why fiber, and what types of fiber, deserve a VIP spot in your diet.

What is fiber?

Dietary fiber is a type of carbohydrate (yes, it’s a carb!), that your body can’t digest. Unlike other carbs that break down and provide the body with energy, fiber stays intact and just passes right on through.

This is what gives fiber its power. While we do not digest fiber ourselves, our gut bacteria love it. High fiber foods are vital for feeding our gut bacteria and helping them thrive.

And when our gut thrives, we thrive. A healthy, balanced microbiome is associated with better blood glucose control, reduced blood pressure, enhanced digestion, improved mood, and even less risk for cancers and other chronic diseases.

The vitality of our microbiome touches all aspects of health!

How much fiber do we need?

With the onslaught of low-carb diets and preference towards convenient, processed foods, most Americans are not getting enough fiber.

The standard advice is to aim for 25-30g of fiber per day.

For a good list of high fiber foods, check out this list put out by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

And even if you are prescribed a low-FODMAP diet, prioritizing high fiber foods that are allowed on the plan can get you up to the recommended daily fiber targets.

Health benefits of high fiber foods

It cannot be overemphasized how fiber affects every system in our body. Here are just a few of the amazing benefits of fiber that you probably already know about:

Improved digestion: Fiber eases constipation and even diarrhea
Regulating blood sugar: Fiber helps slow down digestion, preventing blood-glucose spikes
Balancing cholesterol: High fiber foods, especially soluble fiber foods, help flush unwanted cholesterol out of the system
Improving satiety/reducing hunger: Fiber is filling, leading to eating less and feeling full

But what often gets overlooked is arguably fiber’s most important role: feeding the microbiome.

Why does this matter? Because research is suggesting that the health and diversity of the bacteria literally living within our gut is connected with every single part of our body.

There is research showing that having the right gut bacteria can help:

Reduce the risk of diabetes¹
Reduce the risk for autoimmune conditions²
Improve mood imbalances and anxiety³
Regulate the absorption of key vitamins and minerals⁴
Give our bodies critical compounds such as short-chain fatty acids and specific antioxidants that cannot be found in foods⁵
Reduces the risk of certain cancers⁶

If we lack high fiber foods and our gut bacteria wither away, so do all these life-giving benefits. This is why it cannot be stressed enough: fiber is life.

Soluble fiber vs. insoluble fiber

There are two main types of fibers that high fiber foods provide. It’s important to have both for optimal gut health.

Soluble fiber: This type of fiber absorbs water and forms a gel-like consistency in the gut. This helps bulk up the stool, slows down digestion, regulates blood glucose levels, and lowers cholesterol.

–> Foods high in soluble fiber: Oats, barley, beans/lentils, apples, pears, flax and chia seeds

Insoluble fiber: This type of fiber does not absorb water but does help add bulk and consistency to the stool. It can also help speed things through the digestive tract, which can help with constipation.

–> Foods high in insoluble fiber: Whole grains, leafy greens, skins of fruits and vegetables.

But the really neat thing is that most foods are a combo of these fibers, so you get both just by eating diet rich in high fiber foods.

Antioxidants in high fiber foods

Here’s another reason to pile your plate with fiber-rich plant foods: they are packed with antioxidants.

Why is this important?

Antioxidants are compounds that neutralize free radicals, which are unstable molecules that contribute to cellular damage, inflammation and aging. Basically, free radicals lead to poor health and chronic disease.

Cue high fiber foods, which are antioxidant powerhouses. Berries, leafy greens, whole grains, legumes, and seeds provide both fiber and loads of polyphenols, a category of antioxidants shown to support brain health, blood glucose balance and cardiovascular health.

But best of all … our gut loves polyphenols almost as much as they love fiber. In fact, these polyphenols are metabolized by our gut microbes into other anti-inflammatory compounds. This means that adding high fiber foods to our diet is a great strategy for reducing chronic inflammation – a root cause of many diseases.

To reiterate, literally our own gut bacteria take compounds that we eat and then give back to us additional anti-inflammatory ones that cannot be found in food or elsewhere. It’s an incredible relationship that directly benefits our health. Isn’t this wild? Score another point for high fiber foods.

High fiber foods and GLP-1

Yet another mind-blowing benefit of fiber … Did you know that high fiber foods can help our guts increase levels of GLP-1, the hormone that helps with satiety and weight loss — naturally?

GLP-1 is produced and secreted in the gut. Specific types of gut bacteria help regulate this process. But for some of us, this system has gone awry, and GLP-1 levels are not at optimal levels to maintain weight and blood glucose balance. Cue Ozempic and the like, which have successfully helped millions of people lose weight and reduce their blood sugar by increasing levels of GLP-1.⁷

But the truth is, our own gut bacteria should be helping to regulate this process. Could pushing high fiber foods help?

Possibly! Studies are showing that adding fiber to the diet can help increase various species of gut bacteria, especially Akkermansia, which are known to help with GLP-1 secretion.^8,9

Additionally, adding a variety of high fiber foods while on GLP-1 medications could also be a good strategy to ensure long-term success once it’s time to wean off the meds.

While these ideas are still just theories, you can see how the role of high fiber foods and the microbiome is so crucial to metabolism and gut health.

What about fiber supplements?

With all of this exciting information you might be wondering, can’t I just use fiber supplements instead of adding high fiber foods?

The answer is yes … but also no. Here’s why.

It’s true that fiber supplements such as Metamucil, Citrucel, fiber gummies and the like can help our gut bacteria. They will take fiber however they can get it.

But the problem is that most fiber supplements only offer one type of fiber, either soluble or insoluble.

And non-food based fiber supplements do not come packaged with any of the polyphenols that foods do. Supplements can’t come close to offering the diverse portfolio of fibers and antioxidants that high fiber foods can offer.

Plus, supplements offer a couple grams of extra fiber, at best. High fiber foods can offer a whole lot more per serving, in addition to all the other benefits already mentioned.

For example, 3 Metamucil gummies provides 5g of fiber. You’d have to eat 15 gummies a day just to reach the minimum of 25g we need! That would get old real fast.

While supplements can help fill some gaps when needed, they are not a long-term strategy for optimal gut health.

Final thoughts

It’s time to flip the script on popular nutrition priorities. While protein is undeniably important, fiber is just as critical – if not more so. High fiber foods support the gut microbiome which in turn affects every aspect of our health.

So instead of chasing protein at every meal, try focusing on hitting those fiber targets instead. Aim for at least 25-30g per day.

And don’t waste your money on non-food fiber supplements. Start by adding more plant foods to your plate – beans, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and seeds.

Just remember: when it comes to lifelong health from the inside out, fiber is the foundation.

References:

Danielle VenHuizen, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian, Certified LEAP Therapist

Why High Fiber Foods Should Be Your Top Priority for Optimal Health

What is fiber?

How much fiber do we need?

Health benefits of high fiber foods

Soluble fiber vs. insoluble fiber

Antioxidants in high fiber foods

High fiber foods and GLP-1

What about fiber supplements?

Final thoughts

Danielle VenHuizen, MS, RDN

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