Most of us don’t eat nearly enough fibre. In fact, while the NHS recommends aiming for at least 30g of fibre a day (if not more), the latest figures suggest that the average adult in the UK consumes around 18g – just 60% of the target.

This matters because fibre is one of the simplest things you can focus on to support your gut health. Not only is it essential for keeping bowel movements regular, but higher fibre intakes (30g or more a day) have also been linked with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer.

But the problem is that 30g of fibre can sound like quite a lot – especially if your idea of a high-fibre diet is one based on beans and legumes. The good news? It’s not nearly as intimidating as you might think, and you certainly don’t need to overhaul your entire diet or survive solely on Buddha bowls to get there.

Nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert recently shared a simple example of how 30g of fibre can add up across the day – and it’s surprisingly achievable.

What does 30g of fibre actually look like?

Breakfast

Porridge made with 50g of oats – 5g fibre
1 tbsp chia seeds – 3g fibre
80g raspberries – 4g fibre

Total so far: 12g

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Lunch

2 slices of wholegrain bread – 7g fibre
1/2 avocado – 5g fibre
Sprinkle of seeds – 1.5–2g fibre

Running total: around 24g

Snack

Small handful of almonds (28g) – 4g fibre

Running total: around 28g

Dinner

150g cooked lentils – 8g fibre
100g broccoli – 3g fibre

Total: around 39g fibre

Of course, this isn’t a prescriptive meal plan or a rulebook for how much you should eat in a day. Your needs will vary depending on your appetite, activity levels, health and lifestyle. But it does show how quickly fibre can add up when you include wholegrains, fruit, seeds, nuts, pulses and vegetables across your meals.

A helpful aim? Try building around 10g of fibre into each main meal, or spreading fibre-rich foods across the day.

Rhiannon's tips to increase your fibre intake

  1. Increase fibre gradually and make sure to drink plenty of water.
  2. Incorporate more wholegrains into your diet (bread, oats, brown rice and pasta).
  3. Add beans and pulses to meals a few times a week.
  4. Aim for 30 different plants each week (fruit, vegetables, pulses, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices and even dark chocolate count).