While eating more fibre is good for health, there are multiple wrong ways to go about it. Dr Sethi warns against five of them. Fibre is one of the most important macronutrients that the body needs. While it is indigestible by the human gut, it helps slow digestion, increases satiety, supports a healthy gut microbiome, and promotes healthy bowel movements, among other things.Taking in fibre from various sources is more beneficial for gut health, shares Dr Sethi. (Pexel)Also Read | What does our night vision reveal about eye health? Ophthalmologist Dr Mounika Gadikota explainsHowever, there is a right way to incorporate fibre into the daily diet, and going about it the wrong way can have its drawbacks, according to Dr Saurabh Sethi, a California-based gastroenterologist trained at AIIMS, Harvard, and Stanford Universities.Taking to Instagram on July 14, Dr Sethi shared five ways in which one should not add fibre to their diet. “Most people think more fibre is always better, so they pile on salads and bran without a second thought,” he stated, cautioning that it does not yield the expected benefits.The ways to not incorporate fibre in the diet are presented as follows.1. Eating fibre without drinking enough waterAs per Dr Sethi, “Fibre without water is basically cement in your colon.” It is the number one cause of being healthy and yet constipated that Dr Sethi has observed in the clinic.2. Going from low-fibre to 40g overnightWhile it is important to increase the daily fibre intake, one should do it gradually over time and not all at once. “Your gut bacteria need days to adapt,” explained the gastroenterologist. “Spiking your fibre intake too fast is a classic recipe for gas and bloating.”3. Getting all your fibre from just one sourceChoosing only one source of fibre, such as only salad or only bran, and loading up on it, is not a balanced approach to fibre intake. “Your gut has 200 to 1,000+ bacterial species, and they each eat different fibres,” shared Dr Sethi. “One source is basically feeding a fraction of your gut and starving the rest.”4. Skip legumes, nuts, and seedsWhile vegetables are a good source of dietary fibre, they are not enough. “One cup of lentils has more fibre than 10 cups of lettuce,” pointed out Dr Sethi. “Most people are fibre-deficient, not from lack of trying, but from the wrong foods.”5. Pushing through fibre even when symptoms get worse“If fibre makes you worse, not better, that's not a 'keep going' sign - that's your gut telling you something else is wrong (and most people ignore it for years),” noted Dr Sethi.Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.Dr Saurabh Sethi is a California-based gastroenterologist with training from AIIMS, Harvard, and Stanford and more than two decades of clinical experience. He became a social media content creator sharing insight on his area of expertise during the Covid-19 pandemic.Debapriya Bhattacharya is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times. He started his career in 2022, working in newsrooms in beats like education, US news, trending stories, and entertainment. In his new role in the lifestyle desk, he seeks to deliver a balanced blend of research-driven reporting and creative storytelling from health and recipes to art and culture. Science, philosophy, food and pop culture are what pump his veins and help bring heart to his stories. Debapriya tries to see out subjects that will allow him and readers to explore new frontiers and improve the quality of life for all. The explorations can be both external and internal, as thoughts seek to be as chaotic as the greater universe. As a citizen of the world, Debapriya has been fascinated by the lives of people across the globe throughout time. His curiosity leads him to explore new linguistic and cultural landscapes to broaden his horizons and deepen his understanding of global narratives. Beyond the newsroom, Debapriya loves to participate in debate and theatre, spaces that he considers to be holy grounds for nuance and self-expression. A graduate from Ashutosh College, University of Calcutta, Debapriya completed his Master's degree from the same university in 2022. An ambiverted bibliophile, he loves his solitude as much as he adores stimulating conversations. And despite his reverence for tech, libraries continue to be his favourite place for research.Read MoreConstipationFibreHealthCatch every big hit, every wicket with Crick-it, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Quizzes, Polls & much more. Explore now!.Catch your daily dose of Fashion, Taylor Swift, Health, Festivals, Travel, Relationship, Recipe and all the other Latest Lifestyle News on Hindustan Times Website and APPs.See Less
Increasing fibre intake? AIIMS-trained gastroenterologist Dr Saurabh Sethi shares 5 wrong ways to add fibre to diet
While eating more fibre is good for health, there are multiple wrong ways to go about it. Dr Sethi warns against five of them. | Health







