This high-fiber breakfast will keep you full until lunchtime

Despite all the benefits for our health, fiber is one of the most overlooked nutrients, with many of us falling short of the recommended 30g per day.

“Fiber supports digestion, helps stabilize blood sugar levels and plays a key role in appetite regulation helping you feel fuller for longer,” nutritionist Emma Bardwell tells Fit&Well, “yet most of us only eat around 16-18g per day.”

It’s no surprise that trends like fiber-maxxing have started doing the rounds on TikTok, with experts calling for us to up our intake.

“A big part of the issue is that modern diets tend to rely heavily on convenience foods which are often low in fiber,” Bardwell explains. “There’s also been a strong focus on protein in recent years, which is important, but it’s sometimes come at the expense of fiber-rich foods.”

Knowledge around sources of fiber is part of the problem too. “Many people immediately think of salad when they think of fiber, but it’s also found in hitters such as chia seeds, raspberries, ground flaxseeds, avocados, peas, dates, passion fruit, pears, kiwis, almonds, oats, beans and lentils to name just a few,” Bardwell says.

One of the easiest ways to increase your intake is with a high-fiber breakfast—and thanks to Bardwell’s new porridge recipe you can get over half your daily target in one meal.

Bardwell, author of The Fibre Effect, is on a mission to close the fiber gap with recipes that support gut health and leave you feeling fuller for longer.

“This breakfast does a lot of things at once, without feeling complicated. It combines protein, fiber and plant diversity in one meal, which is a great way to start the day.”

It’s packed with around 27g protein and 15g fiber.

“The fiber here is doing double-duty. Soluble fiber helps slow digestion, support steadier blood sugar and feed beneficial gut microbes, while insoluble fiber adds bulk and supports regularity. That means you stay fuller for longer and your gut microbes have a feast.”

Here’s how to make Bardwell’s high-fiber, high-protein recipe.

Toasted Rye Porridge with Blackberry Chia Jam Recipe

Ingredients

• 30g rye flakes
• 200ml milk
• 1tsp cinnamon
• ¼tsp nutmeg
• 1 heaped tbsp ground flax
• 125g Greek yoghurt
• 1tbsp blackberry chia jam (taken from Emma Bardwell’s book The Fibre Effect)
• 1tbsp almond butter or other nut butter
• 1tsp maple syrup

Method

1. Simmer the rye flakes, spices and milk for 10-15 mins until cooked through.
2. Remove from heat, stir in the flax.
3. Tip into a bowl and stir through yoghurt, nut butter and chia jam.
4. Drizzle over the maple syrup and enjoy.