Everyone's Obsessed with Protein. What About Fibre?
The forgotten macronutrient that's just as important for your health
Scroll through fitness Instagram and you'll see endless content about protein. Protein targets, protein timing, protein powders, protein recipes. Everyone's tracking their daily intake, debating optimal amounts, and sharing their latest high-protein meal creations.
But when was the last time you saw someone excited about hitting their fibre target?
Here's the thing: whilst we're all obsessing over getting enough protein (and rightly so), we're completely ignoring a nutrient that's equally crucial for weight management, gut health, blood sugar control, and long-term disease prevention.
What if I told you there's a nutrient that affects satiety more powerfully than protein, supports better digestion, stabilises energy levels, and could significantly reduce your risk of heart disease and certain cancers?
That nutrient is fibre. And most of us aren't getting nearly enough of it.
The Great Nutrition Imbalance
This imbalance isn't accidental. The fitness industry has done an excellent job promoting protein awareness. We understand that protein builds muscle, supports recovery, and helps with satiety. These benefits are real, measurable, and relatively quick to notice.
Fibre, on the other hand, works more quietly. Its benefits unfold over weeks, months, and years. There's no immediate muscle pump from eating an apple or visible abs from adding beans to your salad. The effects are profound but subtle.
The numbers tell the story: The average UK adult consumes about 18g of fibre daily. The recommended amount? 30g. Meanwhile, most fitness-conscious people are hitting or exceeding their protein targets without much effort.
We've solved the protein puzzle but completely ignored the fibre equation.
Why Fibre Actually Matters More Than You Think
The Satiety Powerhouse
Everyone knows protein is satiating, but fibre might be even more powerful for appetite control. Here's why:
Fibre physically fills your stomach, triggering stretch receptors that signal fullness to your brain. Unlike protein, which needs to be digested and absorbed before affecting satiety hormones, fibre creates immediate physical fullness.
More importantly, fibre slows gastric emptying - the rate at which food leaves your stomach. This means you stay fuller for longer after a high-fibre meal compared to a low-fibre one with the same calories and protein content.
A chicken salad with mixed vegetables and beans will keep you satisfied far longer than the same amount of chicken with white rice, even if the protein content is identical.
Blood Sugar's Best Friend
If you're interested in stable energy levels and body composition, fibre should be on your radar. Soluble fibre forms a gel-like substance in your digestive tract that slows the absorption of sugars and starches.
This means more stable blood sugar levels throughout the day, reduced insulin spikes after meals, better energy stability between meals, and less likelihood of storing excess calories as fat.
The Gut Health Foundation
Your gut microbiome - the trillions of bacteria living in your digestive tract - might be the most important health factor you're not thinking about. These bacteria affect everything from immune function to mood to inflammation levels.
Fibre is their primary food source. Different types of bacteria thrive on different types of fibre, which is why a varied, high-fibre diet creates a more diverse and healthy gut ecosystem.
Why this matters for fitness goals:
Better nutrient absorption from your food
Reduced inflammation (better recovery)
Improved immune function (fewer sick days)
Better sleep quality (gut bacteria produce neurotransmitters)
Long-term Health Protection
The research on fibre and long-term health is remarkably consistent across major diseases. High fibre intake is associated with 20-30% risk reductions for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers (particularly colorectal). It's also consistently linked to better weight management over time.
These aren't small effects - we're talking about some of the most powerful dietary interventions for disease prevention.
The Protein-Fibre Partnership
Here's what's particularly frustrating about our fibre neglect: protein and fibre work brilliantly together. Protein triggers hormonal satiety signals whilst fibre provides physical fullness - together, they're more powerful than either alone. A healthy gut (supported by fibre) also absorbs and utilises protein more effectively, whilst the blood sugar stability from fibre makes your body more likely to use protein for muscle building rather than glucose regulation.
Many high-fibre foods also contribute to your protein intake. Beans, lentils, quinoa, nuts, and seeds all provide both nutrients simultaneously. Think: chicken with roasted vegetables, fish with quinoa and broccoli, or lentil and vegetable curry.
Why We're All Fibre-Deficient
The Processing Problem
Modern food processing is designed to remove fibre. White bread, white rice, fruit juices, and most packaged foods have had their fibre stripped away for texture, shelf life, and palatability.
We've created a food environment where the most convenient options are also the lowest in fibre. Meanwhile, high-protein processed foods (protein bars, shakes, etc.) often contain minimal fibre.
The Convenience Trap
High-fibre foods often require more preparation. Fresh vegetables need washing and chopping. Whole grains take longer to cook. Beans need soaking or longer cooking times.
When we're busy, we naturally gravitate towards quicker options, which tend to be lower in fibre. It's much easier to grab a protein bar than to prepare a bean and vegetable salad.
The Adaptation Challenge
Unlike protein, dramatically increasing fibre intake can cause temporary digestive discomfort. This means people often try to increase their intake too quickly, experience bloating or gas, and then give up entirely.
This creates a cycle where low-fibre diets become self-reinforcing. Your gut bacteria adapt to processing low-fibre foods, making high-fibre foods initially uncomfortable.
The Awareness Gap
Simply put, most people don't know how much fibre they're eating or how much they should be eating. There's no equivalent of the "1g protein per pound body weight" rule for fibre.
We track protein religiously but fibre remains invisible in most people's nutrition awareness.
Simple Strategies to Bridge the Gap
-
Unlike protein, where you can dramatically increase intake overnight, fibre requires a gentler approach. Aim to increase your intake by 5g per week until you reach 25-30g daily.
This gives your gut bacteria time to adapt and minimises digestive discomfort.
-
Instead of completely overhauling your diet, start by adding high-fibre foods to meals you already enjoy:
Add berries to your morning yoghurt
Include a side of vegetables with your usual protein and starch
Throw some beans into your salads
Choose wholemeal bread instead of white
-
When you're ready, these simple swaps can dramatically increase your fibre intake:
White rice → brown rice or quinoa
Regular pasta → wholemeal pasta
Fruit juice → whole fruit
Refined cereals → oat-based options
-
Whilst vegetables are important, some of the highest fibre foods are:
Beans and lentils (8-15g per serving)
Whole grains (3-4g per serving)
Nuts and seeds (2-4g per serving)
Fruits with edible skins (3-8g per serving)
-
Make fibre a natural part of your protein-focused meals:
Chicken with roasted vegetables
Fish with quinoa
Eggs with beans and spinach
Greek yoghurt with berries and nuts
The Bottom Line
We've created a nutrition culture that obsesses over protein whilst completely ignoring fibre. This imbalance is hurting our health, our satiety, and our long-term wellbeing.
Fibre isn't sexy. It doesn't build visible muscle or create dramatic before-and-after photos. But it's quietly working to:
Keep you fuller for longer
Stabilise your energy levels
Support your gut health
Protect against chronic diseases
Make your protein work more effectively
Your challenge: For the next week, track your fibre intake alongside your protein. Most nutrition apps will show you both. Aim for 25-30g of fibre daily and notice how it affects your hunger, energy, and overall wellbeing.
You might discover that the nutrient you've been ignoring is exactly what your body has been missing.
Remember: protein builds muscle, but fibre builds lasting health. Your future self will thank you for paying attention to both.
Next week: I'll show you exactly what 25g of fibre looks like in real food, with pictures and practical meal ideas you can implement immediately.
