Probably one of the top questions asked about fiber: Does fiber really make you poop? The answer is yes, and with more fiber, this could be the most pleasant poop of your life.
However, fiber does a lot more than just helping you go number two, read on to discover how fiber aids with weight management, boosts immunity, regulates blood sugar levels, and helps lower your cholesterol.
How does fiber make us poop?
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In short, fiber takes in water, bulking up the stool and making it easier to glide out of the body. Fiber is the ultimate regulator of our bowel movements.
So how does fiber do this and not other food sources? Well, fiber is a pretty special snowflake, fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate. This means that the body can’t digest fiber.
Two Types of Fabulous Fiber
Pop quiz: what is your fiber type? It’s actually both: soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber loves absorbing water and turns to gel in your gut. This is amazing because it slows digestion making your feel fuller longer. In contrast, insoluble fiber isn’t into absorbing water and instead adds bulk to the stool. This is great because it helps get things moving if you are constipation. With insoluble fiber, food passes quickly through the stomach and intestines then out to your lovely porcelain toilet. So in short, your fiber type is both, you ideally want both fibers in your life because they both have amazing health benefits.
How does fiber help with constipation?
Constipation occurs when your stools are hard, dry, lumpy, and difficult to pass. If you know the pain, you KNOW the pain. When constipated you may have fewer bowel movements per week, or have a lingering feeling that not all stool has passed.
Fiber increases the size of your stool and softens it as well so it can glide smoothly out of the body. Fiber also helps solidify loose and watery stools as it absorbs water and adds bulk to the stool. This is the ideal poop: fully formed, slightly soft, and easy to pass.
Speaking of pooping, you’re probably curious about how many times do you need to poop?
No rule is set in stone about how many times a day you should poop. As all our bodies are different, some people go three times every day while others go three times a week. Both of these are normal. To dive in deeper, we wrote about it in this blog post.
One poop a day is not necessarily an indicator of a healthy digestive system, but there might be an issue if you’re going less than three times a week. Just to rule out the possibility of a medical condition, we suggest consulting your doctor.
If a medical condition is ruled out, loading up on fiber is the best way to go to have regular number twos.
How can I get more fiber in my diet?
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There are a number of delicious high-fiber foods you can include in your diet like fruits such as apples, raspberries; vegetables, like green peas and broccoli; grains, like barley and bran; to legumes, nuts, and seeds, such as split peas, lentils, and chia seeds.
The USDA recommends 25 grams of fiber per day for women and 38 grams for men. Yes, we know that is a lot of fiber. By comparison, you would have to eat a little under 6 medium apples a day to hit 25 grams. Does anyone love apples that much?
But don’t worry, there are ways to meet the dietary fiber requirement and that’s where Bonny’s expertise can help.
Bonny: Fancy Fiber for Poops
The good news is that you can more readily hit your daily fiber goals with Bonny, an all-natural, plant-based fiber that tastes AMAZING with adaptogens.
Bonny is a prebiotic fiber supplement containing psyllium husk powder and inulin making it perfect for taking care of our gut health.
Bonny comes in delicious flavors that you will crave daily: Apple Pie, Mixed Ripe Berries, and Super Strawberry.
As always, we wish you pleasant poops.
