While too much fibre may increase symptoms for people with IBS, for most people, the problem is eating too little fibre. In the US for example, despite recommendations that adult women consume 25g fibre per day and men consume 38g fibre per day1, 95% of Americans eat less than this2 and the average fibre intake is just 16g fibre per day2. There are a number of reasons for this poor fibre intake, including the uptake of gluten-free, wheat-free, and grain-free diets which limit or eliminate fibre-rich grains from the diet; and beliefs that high fibre foods are expensive, unpalatable, and complicated to prepare3. In people with IBS, inadequate fibre intake may exacerbate symptoms such as constipation and abdominal pain, whereas eating enough fibre can help to relieve symptoms.
If you are following a low FODMAP diet, consuming enough fibre may be particularly challenging, as many of the restricted, high FODMAP foods are also high in fibre. But eating enough fibre is easier than you think with a few small changes to your diet.
The charts below provides examples of foods you can include in a low FODMAP serve to increase your fibre intake.
| Food | Low FODMAP Serving Size |
|---|---|
| Bulgar, uncooked | 1/4 cup (44g) |
| Lentil, Green, Boiled | 1/4 cup (23g) |
| Almond with skin | 10 nuts (12g) |
| Sunflower seed | 2 teaspoons (6g) |
| Sun-dried Tomato | 3 pieces (8g) |
| Food | Low FODMAP Serving Size |
|---|---|
| Banana, common, unripe | 1 medium (100g) |
| Green bean | 15 beans (75g) |
| Red Capsicum | 1/4 of 1 medium (75g) |
| Canned chickpea, drained | 1/4 cup (42g) |
| Corn, fresh on cob | 1/2 cob (38g) |
| Eggplant, unpeeled | 1 cup (75g) |
| Goji berry, dried | 3 teaspoons (10g) |
| Kale | 1/2 cup chopped (75g) |
| Mandarin, peeled | 2 small, peeled (125g) |
| Almond meal | 1/4 cup (24g) |
| Hazelnut | 10 nuts (15g) |
| Peanut | 32 nuts (28g) |
| Walnut | 10 nut halves (30g) |
| Potato, unpeeled | 1/2 medium (75g) |
| Silverbeet | 1 ½ cups chopped (75g) |
| Food | Low FODMAP Serving Size |
|---|---|
| Broccoli, fresh, raw, whole | 3/4 cup (75g) |
| Carrot, mature, peeled, fresh, raw | 1 medium (75g) |
| Kiwifruit, gold, peeled, raw | 2 small, peeled (150g) |
| Nut, brazil, raw or blanched | 10 nuts (40g) |
| Nut, macadamia, raw | 20 nuts (40g) |
| Orange, peeled, raw | 1 medium (130g) |
| Parsnip, peeled, fresh, raw | 1 medium (75g) |
| Pineapple (cayenne), peeled, raw | 1 cup chopped (140g) |
| Pomegranate, peeled, raw | 1/4 cup seeds (45g) |
| Quinoa, cooked in water | 1 cup cooked (155g) |
| Raspberry, raw | 30 berries (60g) |
| Rhubarb, stalk, raw | 1 cup chopped (150g) |
| Rice, brown, boiled | 1 cup cooked (180g) |
| Spinach, baby, fresh, raw | 1.5 cup chopped (75g) |
| Food | Low FODMAP Serving Size |
|---|---|
| Seed, linseed or flaxseed | 1 tablespoon (15g) |
| Tahini, sesame seed pulp, unhulled | 2 tablespoons (30g) |
| Food | Low FODMAP Serving Size |
|---|---|
| Coconut, fresh, mature fruit, flesh | 2/3 cup (64g) |
| Noodle, soba, dry | 1/3 cup (90g) |
| Oats, rolled, uncooked | 1/2 cup (52g) |
| Food | Low FODMAP Serving Size |
|---|---|
| Kiwifruit, green, peeled, raw | 2 small, peeled (150g) |
| Passionfruit, raw | 2 fruits (46g) |
| Tofu, firm | 2/3 cup cubed (160g) |
| Food | Low FODMAP Serving Size |
|---|---|
| Buckwheat groats, cooked | 3/4 cup cooked (135g) |
| Food | Low FODMAP Serving Size |
|---|---|
| Seed, chia, dried | 2 tablespoons (24g) |
| Popcorn, commercial | ½ packet – 3.5 cups (60g) |
Other tips for healthy bowel habits
Eat a varied, high fibre diet that includes fibrous foods such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and pulses
Drink lots of water – aim for around 2L per day and more in hot conditions.
Keep active. Physical activity helps to move food through our digestive system
Allow enough time to use the toilet so you don't need to rush or strain
Consider your body position on the toilet: lean forward with your back straight, place your forearms on your thighs and raise your feet slightly with a footstool.
Avoid straining if possible
Talk to your doctor if you notice sudden changes in bowel habits or the ‘alarm signals’ / ‘red flags’ such as blood in the stool, bowel motions at night, severe/ongoing diarrhea.
Pay attention to your bowel habits so you notice when something changes
If you are over 50 years of age, keep up to date with routine bowel cancer screening tests
1. Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes: Energy, Carbohydrates, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein and Amino Acids. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2005. .
2. US Department of Agriculture; Agricultural Research Service. What We Eat in America: Nutrient intakes from food by gender and age. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009-10. http://www.ars.usda.gov/Sp2userfiles/Place/12355000/Pdf/0910/Table_1_Nin_Gen_09.Pdf. Accessed December 4, 2014.
3. Quagliani D, Felt-Gunderson P. Closing America's Fiber Intake Gap: Communication Strategies From a Food and Fiber Summit. American journal of lifestyle medicine 2016;11:80-85.
