Is Fibremaxxing Good for You?

"Fibremaxxing" is a recent social media trend involving maximising your daily fibre intake. It is claimed to  provide many health benefits, including weight loss, better skin, and more energy, and involves taking more than double the recommended amount of daily fibre.

The Good News

• Most people don’t eat enough fibre, so most people will benefit from increasing their fibre intake
• Foods that are low in fibre are often very processed and unhealthy, whereas most fibre-rich foods are generally very good for you. So having more high fibre foods make you healthier anyway.
• Fibre is not broken down by the stomach or small intestine, so it keeps you feeling full for longer. This can help with weight loss.
• It helps reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the gut, and also slows down sugar absorption. This can help reduce people’s blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
• Fibre can help the gut microbiome and digestive health generally.

The Bad News

• Too much fibre too quickly may cause severe bloating and gas, abdominal cramping and pain, diarrhoea or constipation. So it is better to increase your fibre gradually.
• Fibre absorbs water, so if you increase your fibre you will need to increase your water as well, or you may become dehydrated. In severe cases, someone could even develop an intestinal blockage.
• Important minerals, such as calcium, iron, zinc, and magnesium, bind to fibre, reducing their absorption by the body. This may create deficiencies of important nutrients for those on high fibre diets.

The Way Forward

Everyone's body is different, so what is good for one person may not be right for someone else, and fibremaxxing is definitely not a 'cure-all'. Fibre is highly beneficial, but you can have too much of almost anything. So the main problem with fibremaxxing is the maxxing part.

• Increase your fibre gradually
• Make sure you increase your water intake as well. (Ideally your urine should be a light straw colour.)
• Avoid fibre supplements (including Metamucil, etc), and increase your fibre through your diet instead
• It is very sensible to talk to a naturopath, who will be able to guide you to the ideal fibre intake for you as an individual. This will also help to prevent nutritional deficiencies developing for you.

Free Assessment

We are currently offering a limited number of free Comprehensive Assessments. (Terms and conditions: the Assessment is a completely free service, with no obligations whatsoever.)

The Assessment helps to identify:

• What is going on in your body
• What is working properly, and what is not
• What is causing the problem
• The best way to sort it out

If you would like to book in for an Assessment, please give us a call on 3376 6911, or you can book online using the link at the top of the page.

Be well, and have a great life!