Here's How Much Fibre you need in Pregnancy (and how to get it)
When's the last time you thought about how much fibre you’re getting? Unless you’re struggling with a bout of pregnancy constipation, whether or not you’re getting in enough fibre probably hasn’t crossed your mind lately.
Surprisingly, fibre is actually a huge evidence-based way to set yourself up for a healthier pregnancy, a better microbiome (that will in turn influence your baby’s microbiome and your postpartum mental health!), and a lower risk of serious complications like gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia.
Keep reading to find out if you’re getting in enough fibre for pregnancy, how it can help you have a healthy pregnancy, and how to get in more with easy additions to your grocery list and simple meal ideas!
How much fibre do you need for pregnancy?
Depending on where you live, fibre recommendations for pregnancy range from 25-28g per day, a significant difference from the average of 17g/day that pregnant women get, according to recent research in the US.
That means on average, pregnant women in the US are only getting in 60% of their daily fibre needs, and they’re not alone. Research from Australia shows that 71% of the pregnant population is not getting in enough fibre, and the average fibre intake during pregnancy in the UK mirrors the US at 17g per day.
What if you don’t get enough fibre in pregnancy?
Not getting in enough fibre during pregnancy may make your pregnancy a bit more uncomfortable because of constipation, and it also may increase your risks of complications like pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, and possible neurodevelopmental delay.
It can be tough to get in enough fibre at certain times during your pregnancy, like in the first trimester when you may have aversions to your typical high fibre foods like vegetables, fruit, and whole grains and instead are opting for more tolerable foods like simple carbohydrates and savurey foods like pizza, chicken fingers, and more processed foods which tend to be low in fibre.
During these times, it can help to switch up how you think about what high fibre foods look like (it’s not all broccoli and beans!), and make a strategic effort to get enough fibre in through more tolerable foods that are easier to eat with pregnancy nausea, or when you have low energy, like smoothies, quinoa, or in nausea friendly recipes like these Bedside Granola Clusters.
How to you know if you’re getting in enough fibre during pregnancy?
The best way to know if you’re getting enough fibre for pregnancy is to think about how many servings of fruit and vegetables you’re getting a day!
Most of our fibre comes from these plant sources, and most of the research on this topic has demonstrated that the biggest difference between women who do and do not get in enough fibre during pregnancy is how many servings of fruit and vegetables they get in per day.
Adding in one piece of fruit, like an apple, each day, and adding in one more vegetable, like a handful of spinach with your eggs, or a side of roasted vegetables at dinner can go a long way to making up the difference.
Think about each meal you have in the day and how you can add a little bit of fruit or veggies to it!
How more fibre can help you have a healthy pregnancy
Adding more fibre to your diet is so beneficial, both for how you feel during your pregnancy and for the health of your pregnancy and baby.
Research has demonstrated that an increase of just 5g of fibre per day significantly lowers your risk of pre-eclampsia, a serious medical complication of pregnancy.
You can get in 5g of fibre through adding in just one fibre food to your day, like a pear or an apple. Small changes can make a big difference!
Further, fibre supports your microbiome by creating a diverse and healthy array of gut microbes. This impact on your gut health can impact everything from your risk of pregnancy complications, to your birth outcomes, to your postpartum mental health.
How more fibre can help with pregnancy constipation
If you’re not eating enough fibe, you’re more likely to deal with pregnancy constipation, and if you’ve experienced this already, you know it’s not fun!
Fibre is such a support because it adds bulk to stool and speeds up its journey through the digestive tract, helping you stay regular and preventing constipation.
Keep in mind that adding more fibre to your diet to prevent or relieve pregnancy constipation goes hand-in-hand with increasing fluids! Make sure to up your water intake or add more herbal teas, bone broths, soups to your weekly meals!
Top fibre foods for pregnancy
If you want to get in more fibre during your pregnancy, here are some amazing foods to add to your grocery list. These foods are high in fibre and provide other nutrients that are supportive of a healthy pregnancy!
Apple: one apple has between 4-5g of fibre
Pear: a medium pear has 6g of fibre
Chia seeds: a whopping 10g per 1oz
Banana: 3g per banana
Peas: one cup of cooked green peas has 9g of fibre
Broccoli: 5g per cup
Quinoa: 5g per cup of cooked quinoa
Lentils: 4g for just ¼ cup
Black Beans: 7g for ½ cup
Nuts like almonds and pistachios: about 3g per oz
High fibre meal and snack ideas for pregnancy
Veggie stir-fry: combine high fibre foods like broccoli, snow-peas, peppers, and carrots with your favourite protein!
Smoothie: toss in your fave fruits and veggies like spinach, blueberries, apple, avocado, and pear in a blender with your go-to liquid, greek yogurt, and some high-fibre seeds!
Trail mix or granola: Toss in nuts and seeds like almonds, pistachios, chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds. My fave is the Bedside Granola Clusters from my book!
Roasted vegetables: Once a week, prep and roast a big tray of seasonal vegetables and enjoy them as a side for dinner, or use them for quinoa salads, pasta, or wraps
Soup: Such a great way to get in a variety of veggies for gut-supporting fibre! One of my favourites is this Slow Cooker Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Soup which has hidden fibre powerhouses lentils and quinoa in it!
Chia pudding: One of the highest fibre, simple recipes you can make! Get my recipe for the Overnight Flax and Chia Pudding
Let me know what you try or what questions you have over on Instagram! For lots of delicious recipes full of fibre and the most needed nutrients for pregnancy, check out The Food Doula Cookbook.