3 Signs You're Not Eating Enough Fiber, Including ... The Obvious

This is one social media fad that's actually legitimate.

Social media tells us we should be doing a lot of things — from eating more protein (which you’re probably already eating enough of, if you eat meat) to taking colostrum supplements to help boost your metabolism (there is no proof colostrum does this). It can be hard to know what to do and what not to do for your health. But while lots of social media recommendations aren’t true, there’s one current fad that is actually healthy: eating more fiber.

Folks on TikTok and Instagram frequently share ways to add more fiber to your diet, while explaining why it’s important to do so. And experts say they’re right. As a society, Americans don’t eat enough fiber, which is not good.

Fiber is crucial for your gut health, healthy bowel movements, blood sugar control and much more. Eating enough of it can even help lower your risk of colorectal cancer.

So, how much fiber do you need in a healthy diet? “Women, between 19 and 50, it’s recommended that they get about 25 grams of fiber [per day], and then over the age of 50, about 21 grams,” said Veronica Mullins, an associate professor in the School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness at the University of Arizona. “And men... they need 38 grams at the ages of 19 to 50, and then that goes down to about 30 grams after 50 years.”

Older adults need less fiber because they’re generally less active and lose muscle mass, “so their metabolism is lower, so their total caloric intake decreases and the amount of fiber needed deceases,” said Sara Elnakib, the chair of the Department of Family and Community Health Sciences at Rutgers University in New Jersey.