Your daily target
28g/day

You're about 13g short per day. Small swaps add up fast — see the food list below.

IOM guideline: 25gCalorie-based (14g / 1,000 kcal): 28g

Educational tool. Not medical advice. For a personalized plan, book a consult with Dr. Maalouf.

Why fiber matters

The overlooked lever in weight loss.

Most Americans get about 15g of fiber a day — roughly half of what the body needs. Closing that gap is one of the highest-leverage moves you can make for fat loss, blood sugar, and long-term metabolic health.

Satiety

Slows gastric emptying and increases fullness — a natural amplifier of GLP-1 therapy.

Blood sugar

Blunts post-meal glucose spikes, improves insulin sensitivity, and steadies energy.

Gut health

Feeds beneficial bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids linked to metabolic health.

Longevity

Higher fiber intake is consistently associated with lower cardiovascular and all-cause mortality.

How it works

How this fiber calculator works.

Two methods, and we show you the higher of the two so you aren't undershooting.

1. Guideline target

Institute of Medicine intake: 38g for men under 50, 30g for men 50+, 25g for women under 50, 21g for women 50+.

2. Calorie-based target

14g of fiber per 1,000 calories eaten — this scales with how much food you actually eat.

3. Your gap

We compare your target to your current intake so you know exactly how many grams to add.

4. Ramp slowly

Add about 5g per day each week with extra water. Fast jumps cause bloating, not results.

Fiber counter

High-fiber foods chart.

Grams of fiber per typical serving — use it as a quick fiber counter when you're building meals.

Fiber content of common foods per serving
FoodServingFiber
Split peas1 cooked cup16g
Lentils1 cooked cup15g
Black beans1 cooked cup15g
Chickpeas1 cooked cup12g
Chia seeds2 tbsp10g
Avocado1 medium10g
Raspberries1 cup8g
Artichoke1 medium7g
Green peas1 cooked cup7g
Flax seeds2 tbsp6g
Pear (with skin)1 medium6g
Blackberries1 cup6g
Broccoli1 cooked cup5g
Brussels sprouts1 cooked cup4g
Oats½ cup dry4g
Sweet potato (with skin)1 medium4g
Almonds1 oz4g
Apple (with skin)1 medium4g
Quinoa1 cooked cup5g
Whole-wheat bread2 slices4g

Fiber pairs with protein as the two biggest satiety levers — especially on GLP-1 therapy. Set that number too with our protein intake calculator, or read how we use both in our approach to metabolic care.

FAQ

Fiber, answered.

The Institute of Medicine recommends 38g/day for men under 50, 30g/day for men 50+, 25g/day for women under 50, and 21g/day for women 50+. A simpler rule: 14g per 1,000 calories.
Yes. Fiber slows digestion, blunts blood sugar spikes, and increases satiety — all of which support fat loss and improved appetite control, including alongside GLP-1 medications.
It gives a well-validated starting target from published intake guidelines — an estimate, not a diagnosis. If you have IBS, diverticular disease, or a history of bowel surgery, set your target with your physician.
Whole-food fiber is almost always the better first move. Supplements like psyllium can bridge the gap, but they don't replace the wider benefits of eating actual plants.
Slowly. Add 5g per day each week, with plenty of water, to avoid bloating and GI discomfort.
The same target, but ramp even more gradually — GLP-1s already slow gastric emptying, so a fast fiber jump can worsen nausea and constipation. See our guide to GLP-1 side effects.
Ready to go deeper?

Nutrition, dialed in for your body.

A fiber target is a start. Real fat loss comes from a full plan — labs, medication when it helps, and nutrition designed around your life.

Book a free consult