Today we talk about fiber.
It’s an essential, food-based way to literally extend your life because it’s the most natural, healthy way to eliminate toxins from the body on a daily basis.
Let me ask you something personal….if you had to “weigh” the amount of toxins you release on a daily basis, how much do you think they would weigh?
New research suggests that due to our toxin exposure and all the excess estrogens we’re receiving, that a healthy body should be eliminating a whopping 2.2 pounds of toxins/day.
Um, for that to happen (unless you sit in an infrared sauna for 40 minutes/day), you’re going to have to increase your dietary fiber to eliminate the majority of those toxins via the bowels.
Constipated people, I’m especially talking to you. Forget all the herbal laxatives and focus on your fiber for a week and see what happens.
My SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) folks, stay with me as I’ve got a type of fiber that might work for you too.
Let’s start by defining what fiber actually is.
Dietary fiber refers to nutrients in the diet that cannot be digested by gastrointestinal enzymes. It is the indigestible part of plant foods that push through our digestive system, absorbing water along the way, helping to invite peristalsis for healthy bowel function.
We agree that it’s essential, but most of us still don’t get enough. We need 25-40g/day, which would be the equivalent to 1 bunch of asparagus, an organic apple, ½ cup raw almonds, and 1 cup of either oatmeal or brown rice.
Types of Fiber
There are actually three types of fiber (the third is a very new and hot topic right now), soluble, insoluble, and resistant.
Soluble fiber
Soluble fiber dissolves in water, while insoluble fiber does not.
Soluble fiber dissolves in water (insoluble does not) and becomes a gel-like substance. It changes as it goes through the digestive tract, where bacteria ferment it. In a healthy digestive system, soluble fiber could quite possibly eliminate the need for probiotics altogether because once you’ve built good digestive health, soluble fiber, acts like a pre-biotic, or food for your already established good bacteria.
This means your digestive system in already informed with what it needs to shepherd out bad bacteria and potential pathogens from your body that would otherwise make you sick and compromise your immune system. Besides improving intestinal health, soluble fiber helps prevents heart disease by lowering LDL (pulls out toxins, which lowers inflammation, which lowers LDL).
Research shows that increasing soluble fiber by 5 to 10g a day reduces LDL cholesterol by about five percent.
Wondering how?
One of the ways soluble fiber may lower blood cholesterol is through its ability to reduce the amount of bile reabsorbed in the intestines. When fiber interferes with the absorption of bile in the intestines, the bile is excreted in the feces. To make up for this loss of bile, the liver makes more bile salts. The body uses cholesterol to make bile salts. So in order to obtain the cholesterol necessary to make more bile salts, the liver must increase its production of LDL receptors.
These receptors are responsible for pulling cholesterol out of LDL molecules in the bloodstream. Therefore, the more bile salts are made from the liver, the more LDL cholesterol is pulled from the blood.
Pretty cool human body, huh?
It also helps prevent some cancers, and reduces blood pressure.
Fruits and vegetables provide great sources of soluble fiber, but so do legumes (peas and beans), barley, oat bran, and chia seeds (my personal favorite added to my morning smoothie at least 3x/week).
If you don’t already have good digestive health, check out our Gut Thrive program to understand the 5 steps to permanent gut healing. We are re-launching in May. It will knock your digestive socks off and change the direction of your health for years to come. 🙂
Insoluble Fiber
Next, there’s insoluble fiber, which is very helpful to scour those obscure pockets of your intestines like a sponge. Insoluble fiber goes through the digestive tract without changing its forms.
Insoluble fiber can be found in whole-grain foods such as brown rice, quinoa, millet, bran, many vegetables, and fruit with skin. Insoluble fiber’s real claim to fame is regulating appetite, blood sugar, and aiding in weight control because it makes you feel full for hours after consumption.
But what about when fiber is NOT good for you?
While typically both types of fiber are a great preventative for constipation and wonderful contributors to long-term health, they can sometimes be contraindicated for major digestive issues like IBS or SIBO.
SIBO or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth is a hot topic these days because so many people have it. And this is tricky because in this situation fiber can feed the bacterial overgrowth, making it worse, and also cause extreme bloating and pain.
I like to identify that SIBO is actually the issue and then slash inflammation with food and enzymes, clear out the overgrowth and other pathogens, heal the leaky gut it caused and then ONLY when I know the course is clear and the ileocecal valve is closed – (the ileocecal valve is the sphincter muscle valve that separates the small and large intestine that when closed, limits the reflux of colon contents, thus reducing overgrowth – many SIBO folks have it open), then I add in the fiber and voila! Hello to the birth of good digestive health.
But what if you are in the above-mentioned category like many folks and want to jump on the fiber bandwagon WHILE you are healing?
Resistant Fiber
There’s a solace fiber for you called resistant fiber.
Resistant fiber or resistant starch is the least aggravating type of fiber to SIBO and IBS because of its delayed digestive reaction. It’s digested many hours later and only by the good bacteria – making it still a prebiotic, but also much less SIBO-aggravating than your regular soluble fiber.
This new fiber on the block is becoming famous in adrenal fatigue circles as well because it also gives you the benefits of insoluble fiber since it creates little to no insulin response, unlike any other carbohydrate. Thus it will help to stabilize your blood sugar without adding sugar.
NMD Dr. Alan Christianson says in his new book The Adrenal Reset Diet that resistant fiber can even produce less of an insulin response than many non-carbohydrate foods like meat, poultry, and eggs. Whoa!
Sources include green (unripe) bananas (they work, I’ve been adding them to my am smoothie with glowing results and can go hours without food afterward compared to a ripe banana), boiled potatoes, cannellini beans (new hummus, anyone?) great white northern beans, some types of peas, and navy beans.
In an eight-week study of sixteen obese men and women with insulin resistance, resistant starch decreased blood sugar, decreased insulin, and increased the ability of the muscles to utilize glucose by 65%. The results occurred without other dietary or exercise changes.
Hail to resistant starch?
You tell me.
Leave a comment below and let me know your personal experience with fiber (not too many details, please 😉 and if you’ve tried or are going to try resistant starch.
I love hearing about actually happens in your day-to-day eating life!
None of he foods mentioned as sources of “resistant fiber” (maybe you mean resistant starch ?)would be foods allowed on a SIBO / SCD diet. For a healthy person they are some of the healthiest foods there are. For SIBO patients perhaps cellulose powder ( insoluble) as supplement to increase fiber ? Cellulose is also minimally fermentable. Bottom line I think as you wisely mentioned fiber intake on SIBO needs to be reintroduced after bacterial overgrowth is corrected. If you have SIBO you really do not want almost any fiber at least initially. Fiber ( and sugars) is what primarily feeds the bacteria that cause the symptoms of SIBO. Resistant starches are very healthy for people who do not suffer from SIBO.
Is it a bad idea to take Psylium or metamucil if one has sibo?
Hi Marilyn! Fiber can be a tricky thing with SIBO. We have found that resistant fiber is generally better for SIBO than soluble fiber. We would encourage you to work with a health care practitioner familiar with SIBO to guide you. Or, if you’re looking to do some deeper healing, definitely check out our Gut Thrive program – we have a specific program tract for SIBO: https://thewholejourney.com/programs/gut-thrive/gt-enroll-now/?cookieUUID=279ce3cf-9985-4469-b316-7d488461977a
I’m assuming food sources with fiber could contain soluble and insoluble and resistant fiber altogether. Are there products/foods available that contains JUST the resistant (and maybe insoluble) fiber without soluble fiber? My daughter has gone through three rounds of SIBO treatment and symptoms are improved but SIBO is not clearing up completely. I’m concerned about things like leaky gut down the line and am trying to be very cautious with the diet. Needless to say, it is really difficult to find healthy foods she can eat that won’t feed the overgrowth.
HI – SIBO an be tricky but we can help as we’ve worked with thousands who have it. Shoot us an email:)
Have SIBO & IBS Excruciating pain, bloated & gas constantly, incomplete bowel movements, bouts of Constipation & loose stool.4 Gastro Drs, every test there is, antibiotics etc,
very Il!
Hi Justine! I’m really sorry to hear that – feel free to write into the team at [email protected] and we can recommend some of our programs and resources that can help you
So which fiber Are you suggesting for SIBO sufferers?
Can you take psyllium powder?
Hi Robyn – Fiber can be a tricky thing with SIBO. We have found that resistant fiber is generally better for SIBO than soluble fiber because of its delayed digestion, making it more of a prebiotic. However, when you’re dealing with SIBO, there’s a time and a place for fiber. Often you have to treat the SIBO before you add fiber back in and before it can be beneficial for your gut microbiome.
what other sources of resistant starch are there?
Hi Robyn! In addition to those mentioned in the blog, you can use cooked and cooled brown rice, cooked and cooled potatoes, or potato starch.
But what if a person is Paleo and latex sensitive (bananas)?!
I have SIBO and take psyllium every day. I hadn’t heard of resistant starch before. Should I use that rather than psyllium?
I have sibo and wondered if I can use pysilium if not what else is there
I heard you say resistant fiber which are unripe bananas
What else is good as I have methane sibo which causes constipation
Ask your GI to prescribe Trulance for the constipation. You may also want to ask him to prescribe a motility agent like Motegrity or you can go the natural route with ginger or Motil Pro. If you haven’t addressed your SIBO with antibiotics ask your GI to prescribe Rifaximin. Stay away from Neomycin as it has been linked to hearing loss.
Can I use acacia fiber if I have sibo
This article is just plain wrong: resistant starch does not “just feed good bacteria”, bacteria don’t organize themselves conveniently for us like that. Just like other carbs, resistant starch CAN be eaten by good and bad bacteria: do some looking on Pubmed for heavens sake. This article is misleading people.
Candida and SIBO at the same time is frustrating. The two diets are in opposition- starve one, feed the other. I’ve done everything and still have a sick gut. Thanks Lyme Disease.
Hi Heather, So sorry to hear what you’re going through, not sure if you have checked out our Gut Thrive program, we see a lot of people who have SIBO paired with candida successfully clear both. Feel free to email our team [email protected]
If you have heavy metals or amalgam dental fillings, do not address the candida as its biofilm collects the heavy metals. Only address the candida after amalgams are out and you have detoxed all heavy metals to safe levels.
Interesting. The advice about resistant starch and fiber is in direct opposition to the Fast Track plan that cured me of SIBO. This diet has been clinically proven and suggests eliminating all resistant fiber and starches, which ferment in the small intestine and feed the bacteria there. To me and many other SIBO sufferers, resistant starch and fiber is the MOST aggravating type of fiber. After eliminating it, I started feeling better in a matter of days.
Hi Bean, We completely agree, while we LOVE fiber, there is a time and place for it. Often in our Gut Thrive Programs we limit the resistant starch and fiber sources until we have healed the underlining cause. I am so glad that you found the Fast Tract diet beneficial for your SIBO treatment!
What is the fast track diet?
Hi Robyn – you can find information on it here: https://digestivehealthinstitute.org/fast-tract-diet/
I was recently diagnosed with SIBO, methane dominant. I am very confused, even after much research, about what to eat and not eat. In the case of resistant starch/fiber that is potentially good for SiBO sufferers, you mention several types of beans that are good. Beans however are very high in lectins and lectins are supposed to irritate the small intestine membrane, which people with SIBO definitely don’t need. Please shed some light.
Hi Lisa, Thanks so much for writing. Yes, SIBO can be very confusing to treat, which is actually why the program, Gut Thrive in 5 was created. Yes, resistant starch and fiber have many benefits but often the underlining SIBO must be treated before these are introduced and be beneficial to the microbiome. We see SIBO very often in our program and have been highly successful at treating, if you’d like to learn more about the program, please email our customer service team at: [email protected]
Hi Stacey,
unclear where Psyllium husk fiber stands with SIBO.
is it good for,us or not?
I have just been diagnosed with SIBO after decades of suffering, IBS -D, C.Diff,then IBS-C, then Acid reflux, etc. I was taking Psyllium husk each day prior to the diagnoses. I also would like to know if people starting SIBO treatment should use or abstain from using Psyllium husk? As a result of my C.diff (it took 5 months for them to get it under control), I lost over 40 lbs. I now take a daily Ensure – but have also read where that can be a problem when trying to get SIBO under control? Any thoughts you could share would be greatly appreciated!
Hi David, if the SIBO has cleared through a proper healing protocol, fiber is usually not an issue. If fiber is still an issue, it is often a sign that there is some lingering bacteria still present. Feel free to reach out to our team, [email protected]com to hear how our Gut Thrive in 5 program can help! 🙂
people with sibo cant have unripe bananas due to the starch unripe bananas have, or beans
Hi, I have SIBO (methane dominant). I was recently treated with Rifaximin, but prior to that I had tried resistant starch in the form of raw potato starch that I would drink in glass of water. I actually developed symptoms to this and couldn’t tolerate it, despite that it is supposed to help. The only fiber I ever tried with any success was Acacia. I don’t know if it helped, but at least it didn’t seem to hurt that I could tell. Do you have any thoughts on acacia fiber for SIBO? Thanks!
Hi Laura, We have a very strategic way of approaching and helping you heal yourself from SIBO from the root cause. Introducing fiber needs to be done after you have done some important, preliminary clean up work to your gut microbiome. Our Gut Thrive in 5 is the best program for this. If you have any questions about the program please contact our customer support team at [email protected]. We look forward to supporting you along the way!
Where can I buy resistant starch fiber pills . I have sibo so it can’t contain wheat etc
Hi Anne! We prefer to use food as a source of resistant fiber because pills have been chemically processed. Some sources include green (unripe) bananas, boiled potatoes cooked then cooled, cannellini beans (new hummus, anyone?) great white northern beans, some types of peas, and navy beans.
I have SIBO, I have been tested at Duke University, breath test,,, I have constipation with it,,, I am looking for fiber solutions which is best for me and if so provide a list of what foods I can get to get rid of excess gas and bloating I have, thanks
Hi Donna, I wish it was that simple. SIBO is complicated and most fibers can feed it. I would start doing a little research on high and low FODMAPS foods and choose the low ones for now. Please watch our video series on gut health. We’ve helped thousands of folks with SIBO but it takes several months of hard, focused work via our Gut Thrive program. If you have the bandwidth, that is the best solution. Gut Thrive Program Link:https://thewholejourney.com/programs/gut-thrive/gt-enroll-now/?cfid=3 Gut Thrive Video Series Link:https://thewholejourney.com/programs/gut-thrive/ ~Christa
Hi, thank you for explaining this. I have sibo with severe constipation and bloating, and also ibs-so I follow both the scd diet and low fodmaps. This doesn’t leave much room for fiber and I’m really feeling the effects. Beans won’t work for me, they make me miserable for days. As for bananas, one diet says ripe and one says underripe. I’ll happily use either in my daily green smoothie. Any suggestions? I’ve been acutely worse since I started the scd last week. The only real change I’ve made is no yams and no dark chocolate. I definitely need a new diver source. Magnesium supplements aren’t working anymore
Thanks Christa, this is very helpful information. Who knew that unripe bananas are good for you? Years ago I heard that the riper bananas are the better, because of all of the enzymes they have. It just proves the point that what is great for one person, or one situation, is not great for all.
christa, you do a very good job. but there is a caveat that nobody talks about. i have tried all types of fiber in all different combinations and at different times of day and am still constipated. i have done scd leaky gut and plan h gut thrive and christia’s candida cleanse. so my diet is clean with no big allergines included. all of those were eliminated a long time ago. yes all types of fiber are important to include in the diet ( and i do include all types ) but it may still not work for you. that means you still have not found the root cause yet. i know that i still need to continue to look for my root cause.
Hi Bruce, Do you mean that you did the Gut Thrive program of Christa’s? Just curious bc I’m thinking about taking it and I’m on her candida cleanse as well…
Don’t know if you’ve ever tried Pure Vegan Mag 07 or Health Force Nutritionals intestinal movement formula but they both work well. Hope you’re feeling better.
yes i did gut thrive plan h and scd lifestyle leaky gut before that. no i have not tried eather of those. i will look in to them thanks. i’m on week 10 of the candida clense and i still cant seem to get the candida back in balance. i believe it is because of the constipation because i’m reabsorbing what is supposed to come out. still trying though.
Hi Bruce, I know this is an old message, but I also suffer from constipation and would to know if gut thrive helped you or if you found a solution. I am thinking of doing gut thrive but I would like to know of your experience before purchasing it, it is expensive.
Have you checked your stomach acid levels
Love fiber!! Whoo hoo nothing more satisfying than a I-feel-like-I-lost-10-pounds dump!! ;))) haha. I want to try those artichoke mashed potatoes!
Is coconut flour mostly insoluble fibre?
Christa, thank you for your attention to SIBO in this post. You mention the need for the ileocecal valve to be closed — how do we know if it’s open, and how do we fix that?
So on the fiber thing, i eat oat bran hot cereal, a dab of plain oikos, sprinkle of cinnamon, and unsweetened almond milk. It keeps me regular! As far as my candida overgrowth, i am still struggling to stay away from sweets, but am still trying. I have been trying since, the first of november, and have lost 37 pounds.:-) keep trying guys its worth it!:-)
For fiber I try to have a small to med size avocado daily and with a big salad or green smoothie in the am (sans avo). Also have chia pudding with hemp seeds, cacao powder and stevia. Love the information. Thanks christa!
I’m on your candida cleanse and finally seeing some progress bloatimg wise!!! Yippeeeee… is the unripe banana – even small amount say half banana – ok on this clleanse?
All of those resistant starches indicated make my chronic congestion worse. I like chia mixed as a pudding best for fiber but is inconvenient to make because I need to make the almond or coconut milk first because the preservatives/additives also make the congestion worse. I participated in the Gut thrive program but did not see significant improvement. I continue to work on what I suspect is leaky gut.
Have you tried putting chia seeds in a container, add good water, put in fridge over night then use the thickened chia mixture in a breakfast smoothie? I think i got this info from Dr. Mark Hyman. This method is fast, easy and lasts me at least 5 days. Just a thought. 🙂
Thank you, I like that idea.
What kind of fiber is glucomannan? New to me, but I’ve been loving it to thicken up just about anything, with no calories!
I like that one too. I buy the noodles/rice made from it, it’s very satisfying.
I Googled sunchokes and was amused to see they’re also referred to as “fartachokes.” Glad I didn’t whip up a batch for company LOL.
I’ve been eating oatmeal for both soluble and insoluble fiber — that, plus a probiotic supplement, keeps me regular. I’ve heard of the effects of “resistant fiber” — the so-called “second meal” being digested in the gut many hours after ingestion — but had not heard of the stuff itself. I’ve been eating accidentally. Now I’ll try for eating it intentionally.
Do the potatoes have to be chilled afterwards, or can they be eaten hot?
It’s my understanding that they have to be cooled first otherwise they don’t form much resistant starch. The best way to get RS as far as I can tell is by using dried potato flour mixed with water. Not as tasty though!
Thanks, Philip!
Unmodified potato starch is what’s recommended. Potato flour isn’t the same.
How about psyllium ?
How do you prepare Sun Chokes?
I bake them with little drizzle of coconut oil and rosemary,yummy
What about those without a gallbladder?
Age 65, 125 lbs, 5’5″ lost over 20 lbs trying to stop chronic
uti w diet over past 4 yrs.
It appears now that CANDIDA WILL NOT GO AWAY UNLESS
YOU ELIMINATE MERCURY…
Green food will do that…When I take cilantro, iodine, caprylic
acid, coconut, green black walnut hull , cloves, on and on the
list goes…
the urine burns………less and less all the time and I am finding
out THAT IS the mercury coming out.
People w heavy metal poisoning from chemotherapy and radiation
have same thing.
I use horsetail and marshmallow to stop the burning in bladder
and the best thing is CASTOR OIL HOT PACKS ON BLADDER
2-3 hrs a night and Beilers Broth…
Vit B,s , E, D, zinc, C, COD LIVER OIL
chlorophyll in the green drink, Brazil nuts, on and on………….
any pointers to hurry this mercury/lead removal?
I look 20 yrs older from losing all this weight.
Guess there is nothing to be done about that?
For both the bladder issue and for the heavy metals you can use Normaliam, Selivnium (not selenium), and DL Met from Attogram Corp. unless you are a health care professional, you will need to order by phone 905 857 3888. I use these for my patients frequently. For the anti- aging, TA65, resveratrol, omega 3 fish oil, and Ultra Essence help to lengthen telomeres. Co enzyme Q10 with PQQ both increases mitochondrial function and increases the number of mitochondria which rejuvenates cells. Also taking combo of L carnitine and lipoic acid normalizes cell division, causing them to act younger. Laminine helps to produce and direct your own stem cells and helps with looking and feeling younger. Hope people find this helpful. Please note that i do Not sell these products. Dr Bill
Dr. Olsen – would love your advice. My son is working in an aluminum factory for 6 months. They bring in hot liquid aluminum into his building & he works on aluminum parts. I told him to start taking liquid HMD ($50 per month), but then read Thorne makes product Basice Detox Nutrients to support the detox process ($90!) & wondered if it’s worth the add’l investment. Do you have any suggestions on detoxing from aluminum while he works there? He’s been there 6 weeks so far. Thx!
Hey Vicki. How long did you have this? Is it like having ic? Did food bother your bladder to? Curious. I have had ic for 20 years so I’m looking at others victories.
Erika