The short answer: fibre supports digestion, feeds beneficial gut bacteria, helps regulate blood sugar, keeps you fuller for longer, and reduces the risk of several chronic diseases. Most UK adults get roughly half the recommended daily amount, and barely notice.
What fibre actually is
Fibre is a type of carbohydrate found in plant foods, vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Unlike other carbohydrates, fibre cannot be broken down and absorbed by the small intestine. Instead, it passes through to the large intestine, where it plays a range of important roles.
There are two main types, and both matter.
Soluble fibre dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract. It slows digestion, helps regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and feeds beneficial bacteria in the gut. Found in oats, beans, apples and, notably, sunflower seeds.
Insoluble fibre doesn't dissolve in water. It adds bulk to stool, speeds up the movement of food through the digestive system, and supports regular bowel movements. Found in wholegrains, nuts, seeds and most vegetables.
Most whole food sources of fibre contain a combination of both types. The best approach isn't to track soluble versus insoluble, it's simply to eat enough total fibre from varied whole food sources.
Why the fibre gap matters
| 17g | Average daily fibre intake for UK adults. The recommended amount is 30g. That's a shortfall of 13g every single day — roughly equivalent to four slices of wholegrain bread, or a large bowl of vegetables. |
The UK's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition recommends 30g of fibre per day for adults. According to national dietary surveys, the average UK adult consumes around 17g. That's a consistent shortfall of nearly 45%, every day, for most people's entire adult lives.
This matters because fibre deficiency isn't acute. There's no obvious moment when you feel low in fibre the way you might feel low in energy or protein. The effects are gradual, cumulative, and largely invisible until they become significant, disrupted digestion, less stable blood sugar, increased hunger, and over the long term, elevated risk of bowel disease, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
What fibre does in your body
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Feeds your gut microbiome
Soluble fibre is fermented by beneficial bacteria in the large intestine, producing short-chain fatty acids that support gut lining health and immune function.
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Stabilises blood sugar
Fibre slows the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream, reducing blood sugar spikes after meals and supporting more stable energy levels throughout the day.
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Keeps you fuller for longer
Fibre slows gastric emptying — food stays in your stomach longer, extending satiety and naturally reducing the urge to snack between meals.
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Supports heart health
Soluble fibre binds to cholesterol in the digestive tract and helps remove it from the body. Higher fibre intakes are consistently associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk.
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Supports digestive regularity
Insoluble fibre adds bulk and speeds up gut transit time, reducing the risk of constipation and supporting overall digestive comfort.
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Reduces disease risk
Higher fibre intakes are associated with reduced risk of bowel cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease — some of the most prevalent chronic conditions in the UK.
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"Fibre is arguably the most under-consumed nutrient in the UK — and the one with the most consistent evidence for long-term health benefits."
How much fibre is actually in common foods?
Part of the reason the fibre gap is so persistent is that most people genuinely don't know how much fibre common foods contain. The foods most associated with fibre, bran, lentils, chickpea, aren't always daily staples. And many foods that feel healthy are lower in fibre than people assume.
| Food | Fibre per serving | % of 30g |
|---|---|---|
| Protein & Fibre (50g serving) | 7g | 23% |
| Wholegrain bread (2 slices) | 4g | 13% |
| Apple (medium) | 4g | 13% |
| Broccoli (80g) | 3g | 10% |
| Porridge oats (40g) | 3g | 10% |
| White bread (2 slices) | 1.5g | 5% |
| Chicken breast (150g) | 0g | 0% |
| Whey protein (50g serving) | 0g | 0% |
A typical day of eating — two slices of toast, a sandwich at lunch, a piece of fruit and an evening meal — might deliver 12–15g of fibre if everything is wholegrain and vegetable-rich. Hit 30g consistently without thinking about it and you're in a very small minority.
Why protein powders make the fibre problem worse
Most protein powders contain zero fibre. This isn't a minor omission — for anyone using a daily protein shake as a significant part of their nutrition, it represents a missed opportunity to meaningfully close the fibre gap.
A serving of whey protein concentrate provides approximately 25g of protein and 0g of fibre. A serving of Protein & Fibre provides 21g of protein and 7g of fibre — nearly a quarter of the recommended daily intake in a single serving, from the same whole food ingredient as the protein itself.
The fibre in Protein & Fibre isn't added in. It's naturally present in sunflower seeds and retained because the ingredient hasn't been over-processed to strip it out. That's the difference between a whole food and an isolate.
| Product | Protein (per 50g) | Fibre (per 50g) |
|---|---|---|
| Protein & Fibre | 21g | 7g |
| Typical whey protein | 25g | 0g |
| Typical pea protein | 22g | 1–2g |
| Typical vegan blend | 20g | 0–2g |
The simplest way to close the gap
Closing the fibre gap doesn't require a dramatic dietary overhaul. Small, consistent additions make a significant difference over time. Swapping white bread for wholegrain. Adding vegetables to meals you'd otherwise have without them. Choosing snacks with fibre over those without.
And if you're already having a daily protein shake, switching to one that contains 7g of natural fibre per serving is one of the single highest-impact changes you can make to your daily fibre intake — with no additional effort required.
