Why Increasing Fiber May Not Always Improve Your Gut Health

4 Oct 2023

We've all heard the advice: "Eat more fiber for better gut health." Fiber has long been championed as the golden ticket to digestive well-being, and it undoubtedly plays a crucial role. However, there's a caveat to this seemingly universal recommendation. While fiber is beneficial for many, there are situations where increasing fiber intake may not be the answer to your gut health woes.

If you're already eating more than 30g of fiber per day, don't eat a lot of processed foods and your gut health is still suffering than it's best to look elsewhere. There is so much to dive into about gut health, but I want to discuss 3 key nutrients that are important for maintaining a healthy gut.

  1. Zinc: Zinc repairs and maintains the gut lining. Animal sources like red meat, poultry, oysters, and seafood are rich in this nutrient. It also strengthens your immune system, which is heavily tied to the health of your gut. Zinc aids digestive enzymes to help with nutrient absorption in your gut.

  2. L-Glutamine: L-Glutamine fuels gut cell repair. Animal proteins like chicken and beef provide ample L-glutamine. It helps reduce gut permeability. Incorporate lamb and venison as well for a robust gut barrier. L-Glutamine may alleviate symptoms in IBS and Crohn's.

  3. Omega 3's: This will benefit a lot of people since most don't get enough of this nutrient, alongside with zinc. Omega-3s found in fatty fish like salmon, trout, herring, and sardines are potent anti-inflammatories, soothing gut inflammation. These fats promote a balanced gut microbiome, and a diverse microbiome is a cheat code for gut health. Omega-3s protect and repair the gut's mucosal lining as well.

Raw vegetables also are not the best for digestion in general. This is why so many vegans and vegetarians run into a lot of gut health issues. This was also to show that animal foods can heal especially when it comes to your gut, it's not always about increasing your vegetable intake. As nutritionists it is our job to take a close look at your current eating patterns and pin point exactly what is causing your gut issues. It is all very individualized with the gut, making nutrition for it very complex.

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