NHS surgeon suggests easy ways to add 30 g fibre in your daily diet with fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, legumes and more

Hindustan Times

07-07-2025

Are you looking for ways to increase fibre intake in your body? According to the University of California San Francisco, the American Heart Association Eating Plan suggests eating a variety of food fibre sources, with total dietary fibre intake being at 25 to 30 grams a day from food, not supplements. Fibre-rich foods help with many gut issues, from bloating to constipation.(Shutterstock Representative image)
Also Read | Gastroenterologist shares 8 foods that can lower the risk of colon cancer: From watermelon, kiwi to yoghurt
In a post shared on July 5, Dr Karan Rajan, an NHS surgeon and health educator, shares easy ways to add 5 grams of fibre to your daily diet through various sources like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and other food items. So, the total would come up to 25-30 grams. Let's find out what they are:
Easy ways to add 5 g of fibre
Sharing the list of food items, Dr Rajan wrote, 'Fibermaxxing...the easy way! No need for Peruvian vine leaves or ancient Sicilian grains to get your dose of fibre.' Dr Rajan divided the food items into the categories: 'fruits, veggies, seeds, legumes, and others'. He mentioned the quantity of each food item you need to consume to complete a 5 g fibre intake. Let's find out what the NHS surgeon suggested:
Fruits
2 kiwis
80 g raspberries
1 pear
1.5 oranges
1 avocado
8 dried prunes
Vegetables
2 carrots
1 whole corn
5 sticks of asparagus
150 g of broccoli
1 sweet potato
80 g of peas
Nuts
50 g of hazelnuts
45 g of pistachios
40 g of almonds
65 g of walnuts
50 g of pecans
50 g of peanuts
Seeds
1 tbsp of chia seeds
1 tbsp of flax seeds
2 tbsp of shredded coconut
1 tbsp of psyllium husk
1 tbsp of hemp seeds
Legumes
2 tbsp of hummus
80 g of edamame beans
75 g of cooked beans
75 g of lentils
80 g of butter beans
2 tbsp of chickpeas
Others
35 g of popcorn
50 g of dark rye bread
1 tbsp of cacao
100 g of seeded sourdough
50 g of dark chocolate
Why is fibre important?
According to the Mayo Clinic, fibre may be best known for its ability to prevent or relieve constipation. But foods with fibre can have other good effects as well, including staying at a healthy weight and lowering the risk of diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer.
Per a report on Harvard Health, fibre controls blood sugar, as fibre-rich foods keep blood sugar levels steady instead of causing them to spike. As for protecting our heart health, fibre protects against heart disease in a number of ways, from fighting inflammation to helping keep blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.