How Midlife Women Can Get More Fiber: Best Sources for Hormone & Gut Health
- Rebecca Snow, MS, CNS, LDN, RH
- 59 minutes ago
- 4 min read
I will be honest with you here.
After menopause, my body changed in so many unexpected ways! It was disconcerting. Two years in, I got serious about making some lifestyle changes.
I started tracking my food in Cronometer and realized that I only got 18 g of fiber on some days! I was kind of shocked. I eat organic, whole foods, and love to cook. I love a plant-forward diet. But I was missing the mark.
I was actually not far off from the average American, who eats about 15 grams. Traditional eating patterns suggest that our ancestors ate as much as 150 g a day. That is a huge, huge difference!
I am not advocating for 150 g of fiber a day. I do think that the Adequate Intake (AI) of 21 grams for midlife women is totally insufficient. Dr. Bulsiewicz of Fiber Fueled recommends at least 30 grams a day. I am for between 30-40 grams a day.
Why do Americans get so little fiber?
Most of the calories Americans eat are from processed foods, bread, oils, meat, and beverages with calories. None of these foods has fiber. Even for folks who eat whole foods, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans, it can be challenging to get the amount of fiber our ancestors did.
To learn more about fiber, see my blog on “why fiber matters”. I break down the importance of fiber for midlife women. Fiber is important for everyone. And for the midlife woman, changing hormones can kick up appetite at the same time metabolism is slowing. You need to FILL up your belly. Higher fiber foods have more volume, and they fill up the belly, along with water.
Below is a list of my favorite fiber sources for a midlife woman. These fiber-rich foods have other benefits for menopause
Midlife Fiber Favorites
Food, Standard Amount | Dietary Fiber (g) | Benefits in midlife |
Kidney beans, canned, ½ cup | 8.2 | Good source of phytoestrogens |
Pinto beans, cooked, ½ cup | 7.7 | Good source of phytoestrogens |
Artichoke, globe, cooked, 1 each | 6.5 | Support blood pressure and cholesterol |
Soybeans, mature, cooked, ½ cup | 5.2 | Good source of phytoestrogens, lowers cholesterol |
Avocado - ½ | 5 g | Healthy fats, good for the heart, +fiber |
Sweet potato, baked, with skin (146 g) | 4.8 | Nutrient-dense, blood sugar-balancing, prebiotic |
Pear, raw, 1 small | 4.3 | Good for digestion, prebiotic |
Chia seeds 1 Tblsp | 4.0 | Low-calorie, feel fuller, regularity |
Raspberries, raw, ½ cup | 4.0 | Cancer-fighting, antioxidant-rich, low sugar |
Blackberries, raw, ½ cup | 3.8 | Cancer-fighting, antioxidant-rich, low sugar |
Potato, baked, with skin, 1 medium | 3.8 | Great resistant starch |
Stewed prunes, ½ cup | 3.8 | Great for constipation |
Figs, dried, ¼ cup | 3.7 | Great source of phytoestrogens |
Dates, ¼ cup | 3.6 | Great source of phytoestrogens, nice sugar alternative |
Oat bran, raw, ¼ cup | 3.6 | Heart health, good for cholesterol |
Brussels sprouts, frozen, cooked, ½ cup | 3.2 | Supports estrogen metabolism |
Sauerkraut, canned, solids, and liquids, ½ cup | 3.0 | Pre and probiotic |
Tomato paste, ¼ cup | 2.9 | Good source of lycopene |
Winter squash, cooked, ½ cup | 2.9 | Great source of beta carotene, nice low cal starchy veg |
Broccoli, cooked, ½ cup | 2.8 | Supports estrogen metabolism |
Collards, cooked, ½ cup | 2.7 | Supports estrogen metabolism |
Flax seeds 1 Tblsp | 2.0 g | Phytoestrogen, regularity, heart health, cancer fighting |
Common mistakes
Don’t jump up too high, too fast. Your gut needs time to adjust to additional fiber. Remember, gas is produced when gut bacteria ferment fiber in the large intestine. So you want to go slowly here.
Make sure to drink enough water. Many fibers, like in chia and flax, absorb fluid.
Food is better than a fiber supplement
hacks for more fiber
It can be even harder to hit your fiber if you are also aiming higher in protein.
Add ¼-⅓ cup rinsed canned beans to a salad or soup for a boost
Add 1 Tblsp chia seed or ground flaxseed to cooked oatmeal or overnight oats
Substitute ¼ of the oats in a recipe with oat bran for a higher fiber source
When you bake, substitute 1 Tblsp of flour with inulin powder
Keep higher fiber frozen foods on hand when you need a side vegetable easily, i.e. frozen riced cauliflower or broccoli or green peas
½ avocado is easy, heart-friendly, and rich in fiber
Add 2-4 oz of berries to your breakfast
Rebecca’s Kick-ass Sample Day
46 g fiber, 143 g protein
Get your protein and your fiber too
Breakfast
1 cup coffee ¼ cup 2% milk - 2 g protein
Yogurt granola bowl: 1 cup Siggi Zero yogurt, 1 scoop whey protein powder, 4 oz raspberries, homemade granola (with oats, hemp seeds, coconut flakes, and oat bran and orange juice) - 35 g protein, 7 g fiber
Lunch
1 cup decaf coffee ¼ cup 2% milk - 2 g protein
Creamy tomato butternut skillet (Recipe: Lillies Eats and Tells Blog) 31 g protein, 10 g fiber
1 cup steamed broccoli 3.7 g protein, 5 g fiber
Dinner
Oven-roasted Chicken Shwarma (Recipe: NYT Cooking recipe) 33 g protein, 3 g fiber
Homemade sourdough ½ slice with a pat of butter 2.6 g protein, 3 g fiber
3 roasted carrots in olive oil 1.7 g protein, 6 g fiber
Snacks
Gimme teriyaki seaweed snack
3 cups lesser evil popcorn 2 g protein, 5 g fiber
1 oz Tony’s chocolony 2.8 g protein, 6 g fiber
Whey protein shake + collagen in water - 28 g protein
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