Fibre: The Most Under-Consumed Nutrient

Most people consume roughly half the recommended amount of fibre, and it may be the single most consequential gap in typical diets.

Soluble and insoluble

Soluble fibre dissolves in water forming a gel, slowing gastric emptying and glucose absorption and binding bile acids, which has implications for cholesterol. Sources include oats, legumes, apples and psyllium. Insoluble fibre adds bulk and speeds transit, found in wheat bran, nuts and vegetable skins. Most whole plant foods contain both. Resistant starch, found in cooled cooked potatoes and rice and in green bananas, behaves as a third category and is a particularly good substrate for fermentation.

Short-chain fatty acids

Fermentable fibre is metabolised by colonic bacteria producing short-chain fatty acids including butyrate, propionate and acetate. Butyrate is the preferred fuel of colonocytes, the cells lining the colon, and has documented roles in gut barrier integrity and immune regulation. These metabolites also enter circulation and are one of the better-characterised mechanisms in gut-brain communication. This is the main reason fibre intake features in brain health discussions.

Increasing intake

Go gradually. A large sudden increase reliably produces bloating and discomfort as the microbial community adjusts, and this is the most common reason people abandon the attempt. Increase over several weeks. Increase fluid intake alongside, since fibre needs water to work properly. Prioritise variety over volume, since different fibres feed different bacterial populations. Legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruit with skins all contribute, and variety across the week matters more than any single high-fibre food.

A note on NeuronGold

We publish this blog on the NeuronGold official website, so treat anything we say about our own product as coming from an interested party. What we can do is be specific: NeuronGold is a 60 mL liquid dropper supplement taken once daily in the morning. It makes no claim to treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you want the drawbacks first, start with NeuronGold reviews and complaints rather than the sales page.