THE F-FACTOR: My Four Favorite Fiber Sources

Now that we know how prebiotic fibers change the expression of our genes through our microbiome, let's talk about my favorite INEXPENSIVE sources that'll have you excited to eat fiber everyday...

Referring back to my last post, prebiotics are those “nondigestible food ingredients, namely fibers, that allow specific changes in our gut microbiome which confer benefits upon host wellbeing and health”. Before I dive into my favorite sources of prebiotics, it’s important to emphasize the fact that I am only going to focus on those fibers that are fermentable – those which instruct our microbiome to produce the short-chain fatty acids that have such a positive effect on gene expression. Keep in mind, there are sources of non-fermentable fibers like psyllium husk that have their own unique benefits on human health and the microbiome, but I’ll save those for another time.

TWO MOST IMPORTANT FIBER FACTS:

1. NO FIBER IS DIGESTED

2. NOT ALL FIBER IS FERMENTABLE

FOUR FAVORITE FIBER SOURCES

JICAMA

• Easily my favorite food source of fiber. Seeing that, on its own, jicama does not have an overly distinct taste, it is very versatile in what dishes you can make with it. For me personally, I love making jicama fries and jicama hash browns – both of which are lower in carbohydrates and higher in fiber than their regular potato counterparts.

• Head over to my TikTok for a step-by-step tutorial of these two fiber-rich favorites!

Jicama Hash Browns

Jicama French Fries

32g of fermentable fiber in one medium jicama mainly in the form of inulin

INULIN COFFEE

• If you follow me on Instagram, chances are, you see me post about this essentially every day. By adding powdered inulin to my coffee, I have the benefit of getting fiber in first thing in the morning without breaking my fast (remember, it doesn't get digested or absorbed!). It's also become like a fun little treat to me since I don't have a fancy Starbucks order or some creamy nut-based creamer to look forward to with my morning coffee - it keeps this daily ritual exciting to me, and that's what life is about, right! Want my recipe? I've made a TikTok and a blog post to show you all of the specifics.

6g of fermentable fiber in two rounded tsp

SHIRATAKI NOODLES

• These noodles, often marketed as “skinny noodles”, are about 97% water and 3% fiber, constituting a low-calorie, grain-free noodle option. Made from glucomannan, a type of hemicellulose fiber found in the root of the konjac plant, this source of prebiotic is not a part of the inulin family but is still fermented by the gut bacteria.

• Considered to be the "super fiber" by one of the leaders of Functional Medicine, Dr. Mark Hyman, glucomannan is an ancient source of fiber that can help individuals lower cholesterol, reduce appetite, and decrease blood sugar more effectively than any other source of fiber.

3g of fermentable fiber in one 4 oz serving

CHICORY ROOT FIBER

• While it comes in a pure powder form like inulin, chicory root fiber is one ingredient that I love to search for on nutrition labels. If you read my previous post relating to my personal eating habits and philosophies, you’d know I’m not one to consume processed foods every day - namely those that are made with synthetic ingredients and artificial chemicals. That being said, I do have some whole-food favorites that I will purchase when I’m in the mood to celebrate or simply #treatmyself. Speaking to candy, Smart Sweets are my prize possessions, my one and only (yes that’s a JB reference). These little bags of healthier-for-you Swedish fish, peach rings, and sour gummy bears are only 3g of sugar (per bag!!) and very little net carb thanks to chicory root fiber.

The peach rings, my personal favorite, contain a whopping 28g of prebiotic, fermentable fiber and will have both your taste buds AND microbiome singing.

• Like Smart Sweets, Bulletproof – one of my favorite brands created by the father of biohacking, Dave Asprey – consciously adds chicory root fiber to many of their products including their collagen bars and pre-made coffee, knowing full well the health-promoting benefits that prebiotics provide.

That's it - four tasty ways you can up your fiber intake. Seeing that only 5% of Americans are meeting the recommended intake for fiber, I highly suggest that you become mindful of how much you're consuming every day. Chances are, if you adhere to the Standard American Diet consisting of processed, pre-packaged, and fast foods, you're not getting enough. Considering that adequate fiber consumption is associated with digestive health, and reduced risk for heart disease, stroke, hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes (the list goes on)...who wants to be coming in short?