By Lee Holmes, Clinical Nutritionist and author of Eat to Heal

For decades fibre has had a bit of an image problem. Most of us learned to think of it as a one-job nutrient: something you reach for when things aren't moving, then forget about until next time.

That job is real. Dietary fibre contributes to regular laxation, and if regularity is what brought you here, you're in exactly the right place. But it's the starting point, not the whole story.

Fibre is a macronutrient, listed in Australia's Nutrient Reference Values alongside protein, fat and carbohydrate. It comes in many types, each with its own properties. Here's how I'd like you to think about it from today.

Download Lee's printable Fibre Cheat Sheet

From one fibre to all the fibres

Old fibre thinking	Re-think fibre
A fix for when things stop	A macronutrient you eat every day
One type of fibre	Many types, working together
An isolated husk or extract	Fibre from whole foods
A quick fix	A daily food habit
Roughage	Regular and gentle

The five types of fibre

Different fibres do different jobs. Some add bulk, some form a soft gel, and some are broken down slowly by your gut bacteria. Many foods contain more than one type.

Soluble fibre

Dissolves in water to form a gel, which slows how quickly food moves through. Found in oats, legumes, apples, pears, and seeds such as flax and chia.

Insoluble fibre

Doesn't dissolve. It adds bulk and helps keep things moving. Found in wholegrains, nuts, seeds and the skins of fruit and vegetables.

Resistant starch

A starch that isn't digested in the small intestine and travels on to the large intestine, where it behaves like fibre. Found in green bananas, legumes, and potatoes or rice that have been cooked and cooled.

Fermentable fibre

Broken down, or fermented, by the bacteria in your large intestine. Different fibres ferment at different rates and in different parts of the gut. Found in legumes, oats, onions, garlic and green bananas.

Prebiotic fibre

A food component that beneficial gut bacteria selectively use. Not every fibre is a prebiotic. Found in onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, legumes and green bananas.

Lee says: Every type of fibre behaves a little differently. That's why I'd rather you eat many kinds of fibre than a lot of one. Quantity counts, and so does variety.

How much fibre do you need a day?

The Adequate Intake for adults is 25g a day for women and 30g a day for men (NHMRC Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand). If you're increasing your fibre, go slowly over a few weeks and drink plenty of water.

Why one fibre can't do it all

Most fibre supplements are a single fibre, often psyllium husk, wheat dextrin or inulin. They have their place, and they do what they say. But one fibre is only ever one type.

	Single fibre approach	Spectrum fibre approach
Fibre types	One	Five, each with different properties
Source	An isolated husk or extract	Whole foods, with protein, fats and plant compounds
Regularity	Gets things moving	Regular and gentle, built day by day
Your gut bacteria	Suits a narrower range of bacteria	Different fibres are used by different bacteria
How you use it	Taken like a remedy, with a dose	Eaten like food, at breakfast or in cooking

Lee's favourite fibre-rich foods

The foods I come back to again and again. Many belong in more than one group, and that's exactly the point.

Fibre type	Lee's favourites	How Lee uses them
Soluble	Oats, chia seeds, flaxseed, pears and apples (skin on)	Porridge or overnight oats; chia pudding; ground flax in smoothies
Insoluble	Raspberries, almonds, brown rice, vegetables with skin on	Frozen berries; nuts over salads; grain bowls; rarely peels
Resistant starch	Green banana flour, slightly green bananas, cooked-and-cooled potatoes and rice	Pancakes and baking; potato salad made the day before
Fermentable	Beans, lentils, barley, broccoli, cabbage, carrots	Soups, curries, slaw, raw snacks
Prebiotic	Onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes	The start of most savoury dishes; slow-cooked leeks; roasted artichokes

Lee says: I don't count every gram. I look at my week and ask whether I've eaten something from each of these five groups. If I have, I know my fibre is varied.

Five questions I ask every client about fibre

1. How many different plant foods did you eat this week? Vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices all count.
2. Where does most of your fibre come from? Mostly whole foods, or mostly one product?
3. Is regularity the only reason you think about fibre? It's a good reason, and a good starting point.
4. Are you drinking enough water? Fibre works best with plenty of fluid.
5. Did you build up slowly? A sudden jump in fibre can feel uncomfortable.

Get the printable cheat sheet with Lee's five-group weekly tracker

All The Fibres: five whole foods, one tub

I made All The Fibres for the days when a varied plate isn't easy. It brings the five fibre types together from whole foods: Australian organic flaxseed, acacia, organic chia seed, Australian organic green banana and Australian organic lemon myrtle. No psyllium, inulin or emulsifiers.

Stir a spoonful through yoghurt, blend it into a smoothie, sprinkle it over porridge, or add it to muffins and sauces.

Shop All The Fibres

Pair it with Love Your Gut 4-in-1 Synbiotic.

Fibre FAQs

What are the five types of fibre?

Soluble, insoluble, resistant starch, fermentable and prebiotic. Many foods contain more than one type, so a varied plate covers most of the spectrum.

What's the difference between soluble and insoluble fibre?

Soluble fibre dissolves in water to form a gel, as in oats and chia. Insoluble fibre doesn't dissolve and adds bulk, as in wholegrains, nuts and vegetable skins.

Which foods are high in resistant starch?

Green banana flour, slightly green bananas, legumes, and potatoes or rice that have been cooked and cooled.

How much fibre should I eat a day?

The Adequate Intake for Australian adults is 25g a day for women and 30g a day for men, from a variety of sources.

Is all fibre prebiotic?

No. A prebiotic is a food component that beneficial gut bacteria selectively use. Onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, legumes and green bananas are good sources.

Does All The Fibres contain psyllium or inulin?

No. It's made from five whole foods: flaxseed, acacia, chia seed, green banana and lemon myrtle, with no psyllium, inulin or emulsifiers.

About Lee

Lee Holmes is a Clinical Nutritionist, best-selling author of 12 books including Eat to Heal, and the founder of Supercharged Food and Supercharge Your Gut. She has spent over 15 years working with clients on gut health and nutrition, and formulates every Supercharged Food product from her clinical practice. Read more about Lee.

General information only, not a substitute for personalised advice from your healthcare practitioner.