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People With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Aren't Eating Enough Fiber

Author:

Abby Moore

October 07, 2020

mbg Nutrition & Health Writer

By Abby Moore

mbg Nutrition & Health Writer

Abby Moore is an editorial operations manager at mindbodygreen. She earned a B.A. in Journalism from The University of Texas at Austin and has previously written for Tribeza magazine.

Image by mbg Creative / Various, iStock

October 07, 2020

Inflammatory bowel disease affects about 1.6 million Americans, according to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. Many people living with the gastrointestinal (GI) disease, have limited their fiber intake in order to manage the symptoms. A study in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, however, says those low-fiber diets may actually make matters worse.

What the research found about fiber.

The multisectional cross-study looked at 92 participants, each with some form of an inflammatory bowel disease, like Crohn's. After analyzing their daily fiber intake, researchers realized all of the participants were deficient in dietary fiber.

Sure, certain fiber sources might cause inflammatory flare-ups, but eliminating them might actually be more harmful to the gut in the long run. "Ninety-seven percent of Americans are not getting the minimal amount of fiber that's recommended to them, which is 25 grams for women and 37 grams for men," gastroenterologist Will Bulsiewicz, M.D., previously told mbg co-CEO Jason Wachob.

In terms of the study? Only 38% of the participants were consuming an adequate amount of dietary fiber, and the intake of resistant starches was even lower. According to the study, the recommended daily intake for resistant starches is 20 grams per day, yet participants were only eating an average of 2.9 grams per day.

Why does this matter?

Well, despite certain fiber myths, these prebiotic fibers and resistant starches are necessary for overall gut and digestive health (bonus: they also help with sleep and stress). By traveling through the intestine without fully digesting, they help feed the good bacteria in the gut (aka probiotics) and help nourish the microbiome. "In other words, prebiotics are breakfast, lunch, and dinner for probiotics, which restores them and can improve GI health," registered dietitian Ella Davar, R.D., CDN, previously told mbg.

To get more resistant starches in the diet and enhance overall gut health, consider adding vegetables high in prebiotic-resistant starches, including plantains, green bananas, legumes, potatoes, rice, and inulin, or taking a blend of pre- and probiotic supplements.

Bottom line.

Fiber is your friend. As this new research suggests, that particularly applies to individuals with inflammatory bowel disease, but experts confirm the sentiment holds true for just about everyone. So be sure you're feeding your body an adequate amount of healthy fiber, particularly prebiotics and resistant starch, to keep your gut and digestion running smoothly.