It has been said that the keto diet lacks fiber. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are plenty of keto fiber sources that can be included in your diet, plus they help you stay full, support your weight loss efforts, and support gut health.
This guide explains why you need fiber on keto (unless you’re choosing to follow a keto carnivore approach, which has minimal to no fiber), how much you need in a day, and fiber-rich foods that won’t kick you out of ketosis.
Dietary fiber is a non-digestible carbohydrate that’s found in plant foods. Although fiber is popularly known to provide bulk to the stool, which promotes bowel movements, it has other functions that support good health on the keto diet (*). These include better satiety, blood sugar regulation, improvement of IBS symptoms, and reduced LDL cholesterol.
Here’s more about each role of fiber as backed by research:
Two types of fiber exist:
Soluble fiber easily dissolves in water and forms a viscous, gel-like substance. When soluble fiber reaches the large intestine, it gets broken down into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as butyrate, propionate, and acetate (*). According to research, SCFAs improve gut health by maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier and providing protection from inflammation (*).
Keto-friendly sources of soluble fiber include broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, avocados, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, and hazelnuts.
Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, does not dissolve in water. It’s beneficial for those who are experiencing constipation since it increases luminal bulk. On the list of fiber functions above, we mentioned that fiber can help with IBS symptoms. It’s important to note that soluble fiber improves IBS symptoms, whereas insoluble fiber may worsen IBS symptoms (*).
Examples of keto-friendly insoluble fiber sources include green beans, okra, spinach, cocoa, and coconut flour.
“The FDA recommends 25 grams of fiber daily, which you can get from high-fiber foods like chia seeds, avocados, pecans, broccoli, and almonds,” said Bill Bradley, a registered dietitian and owner of Mediterranean Living.
The USDA, on the other hand, gets more specific by recommending a daily fiber intake of 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams per day for men (*).
Whether you should aim to consume this amount of fiber or not depends on your goals and tolerance. For example, some people find that consuming too many high-fiber keto foods leads to excessive bloating and gas. Other symptoms may include nausea, stomach cramps, and constipation. Aside from these symptoms, eating large amounts of plant foods may interfere with nutrient absorption due to their compounds called antinutrients (*).
If you choose to include more fiber in your keto diet, pay attention to how you feel then adjust accordingly. It’s worth noting that some individuals coming from a high-carb diet experience constipation. “You may have noticed after beginning the keto diet that your digestion has slowed down,” said Dr. Sean Ormond, who is dual board-certified in Anesthesiology and Interventional Pain Management, and owns Atlas Pain Specialists.
This is where adding keto foods high in fiber becomes beneficial.
A low-carb diet doesn’t have to be a low-fiber diet. You can see in the examples below that you have lots of options to boost your fiber intake without going over your carbohydrate limit of 50 grams per day. Include these foods into your weekly meal plan or enjoy them as snacks:
Discover common questions and answers pertaining to fiber on the keto diet:
No. Your body cannot digest fiber and therefore it will not cause your blood glucose levels to rise unlike other carbohydrates. As long as you limit yourself to 50 grams of net carbs daily, you should be able to stay in ketosis.
Yes and no. Getting adequate amounts of fiber is good for your health, but some people tend to experience digestive issues like bloating and constipation when consuming more fiber. If you’re in doubt, test various amounts of fiber and watch how you feel.
No. Fiber doesn’t cancel out carbs, although it’s not digested like other carbs. It’s not a source of energy and doesn’t raise your blood sugar, and it helps with weight loss, digestive health, cholesterol, and more.
Studies support the benefits of dietary fiber, such as better satiety for weight loss, balanced blood sugar levels, relief from IBS symptoms (which applies to soluble fiber), and reduced LDL cholesterol.
Based on the recommended fiber intake, you should aim for at least 25 grams per day. However, because some people tend to get digestive issues with higher amounts, it’s a good idea to start with a smaller amount and adjust over time based on your tolerance.
But, at the start of your keto diet journey, remember to incorporate fiber to relieve constipation, which is one of the common symptoms experienced by beginners.
Fortunately, you won’t run out of low-carb high-fiber fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and supplements!
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