For years, protein has had the spotlight. Powders, bars, fortified everything. Lately, fibre has been closing the gap, and in some searches it's overtaken it entirely. It's a shift worth paying attention to, because most of us are under-eating fibre by a wide margin, and the reasons to fix that go well beyond digestion.

Why is fibre important?

Fibre is the part of plant food your body can't fully break down. Instead of being absorbed, it moves through your gut, feeding the bacteria that live there and shaping how you digest everything else you eat.

That process affects more than bowel movements.

• Fibre slows the release of sugar into your bloodstream, which helps keep energy steady rather than spiking and crashing.
• It binds to cholesterol and helps clear it from the body. It feeds gut bacteria that produce compounds linked to lower inflammation.
• And it takes up space in your stomach, so meals with enough fibre keep you full for longer without extra effort.

For anyone training regularly, that last point matters. Recovery depends on stable blood sugar and a gut that's working well, not just protein intake and sleep.

Soluble vs insoluble fibre

Fibre comes in two forms, and most whole foods contain a mix of both.

Soluble Fibre

Soluble fibre dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance as it moves through the gut. This is the type most responsible for lowering cholesterol and steadying blood sugar, since it slows how quickly food is digested and absorbed. Oats, beans, apples and citrus fruit are all rich in it.

Insoluble Fibre

Insoluble fibre doesn't dissolve. It stays largely intact as it passes through the digestive system, adding bulk and helping things move along at a steady pace. It's the form most linked to regularity and to preventing constipation. Wheat bran, nuts, vegetable skins and whole grains carry most of it.

Neither type matters more than the other. A diet built around a range of whole plant foods will naturally supply both, which is the main reason to focus on variety rather than chasing one type over the other.

Foods High in soluble fibre

• Oats and oat bran
• Barley
• Beans and lentils
• Apples and pears (with skin)
• Citrus fruit

• Psyllium husk

• Avocado

Foods High in insoluble fibre

• Wheat bran
• Whole wheat bread and pasta
• Brown rice
• Nuts and seeds
• Vegetable skins, including potato and carrot
• Leafy greens
• Berries

A few foods, including beans, oats and pears, sit high on both lists, which makes them an easy place to start if you're only going to change a handful of things.

How much fibre do we need a day?

The recommended amount is 25 to 35 grams a day, which many fall short of.

If you're well under that target, the temptation is to jump straight to 30 grams a day. A better approach is to increase gradually over a couple of weeks and drink plenty of water alongside it.

And don’t forget to hydrate! Soluble fibre needs water to form that gel-like substance, and insoluble fibre needs it to move bulk through the system. Without enough fluid, a fast increase can cause bloating and constipation rather than fixing it.

Your gut bacteria also need time to adjust to a bigger fibre load, and a sudden jump gives them more to ferment than they're used to, which is usually what causes the gas and discomfort people associate with "eating more fibre" in the first place.

How to get more of it without overhauling your diet

1. Add rather than subtract. A piece of fruit with breakfast, a handful of nuts as a snack, an extra scoop of beans in a meal you already make. Small additions compound faster than a total diet rebuild.

2. Go for whole over processed. A whole apple has more fibre than apple juice. Brown rice and oats keep the fibre that white rice and refined flour lose in processing. This is usually the single biggest lever.

3. Build meals around legumes. Lentils, chickpeas and beans are high in both soluble and insoluble fibre and work in almost anything, from curries to salads to a simple side dish.

4. Increase gradually and drink water alongside it. A sudden jump in fibre without enough fluid can cause bloating or discomfort. Build up over a couple of weeks rather than all at once.

5. Don't rely on supplements as your main source. Fibre powders can help close a gap, but whole foods bring the vitamins, minerals and variety of plant compounds that a supplement can't fully replicate.

The takeaway

Fibre isn't a trend that needs chasing. It's a gap that's been sitting in most people's diets for a long time, and closing it tends to improve energy, digestion and how full you feel after meals, all without requiring a new supplement or a rebuilt meal plan. Start with what's already on your kitchen shelf and build from there.