🌽 The Missing Piece For Your Gut Health...

I get asked all the time “How much fiber should I aim for?”…

And while the number matters (because most of us aren’t even close to hitting the recommended daily intake), there’s something even more important that often gets missed…

It’s not just about how much fiber you eat… it’s about how many different kinds you eat.

You’ve probably heard me say it before: “feed your gut bugs fiber and they’ll take care of you.”

And that’s true.

But your gut isn’t just one big, homogeneous population of microbes.

It’s a bustling city with hundreds of different species, all with their own “food preferences.”

When we only eat the same handful of plants over and over…broccoli for lunch, broccoli for dinner…we’re feeding the same groups of microbes again and again, while others are left starving.

It’s like throwing an amazing dinner party but only serving one dish… and half your guests can’t eat it.

Compare that to the way the Tsimane, Hadza, and other modern-day hunter-gatherer groups eat.

They don’t have access to the same foods year-round. They eat seasonally, instinctively rotating through dozens (even hundreds!) of plant species as the months change.

And their gut microbiomes are some of the most diverse in the world. That diversity is one of the strongest predictors of gut resilience and overall health.

Here’s an example I use a lot:

• 30g of fiber from just broccoli is good…
  

• But 20g of fiber from 5 different plants (say broccoli, lentils, apples, oats, and onions)….even better.

Because each plant food contains its own unique fibers, polyphenols, and phytochemicals.

The more variety you give your gut bugs, the more likely you are to “feed the full team,” and not just the star players.

That doesn’t mean you need to overhaul your entire diet…

Small tweaks can make a big difference:

• Rotate the grains you buy; quinoa one week, barley the next.
  

• Mix up your fruit bowl: swap bananas for berries or kiwis every so often.
  

• If you always use spinach in your omelets, try kale or rocket.
  

Even simple swaps like these increase the range of fibers your gut sees.

But let me also add: mono-fibers still have value.

If you’re using something like psyllium husk or another prebiotic fiber as a supplement, that’s fine. Those targeted fibers can help with stool regularity, blood sugar control, and more.

But just like we wouldn’t eat only protein powder for all our meals, we don’t want to rely on just one fiber type long-term.

Because at the end of the day, your microbiome thrives on diversity.

So give it a buffet of options.

Think of it like building a strong investment portfolio.

Would you put all your money into one stock…if you do, you are braver than me!

You’d spread it out and hedge your bets.

Feeding your gut bugs is the same. Different fibers feed different species, and different species keep your gut ecosystem balanced, robust, and ready for whatever life throws at it.

So yes…aim for more fiber.

But even more importantly aim for more variety.

Your microbes will be pleasantly surprised…even if they can’t be vocal about it (unless you count your trouser trumpets as a proxy for their happiness!)

Psssst!

Btw…if you want to learn more about important aspects of health (some of which may be taboo like gut related mishaps, IBS, haemorrhoids, dodgy gut and more)…I just finished writing my second book which is now live for pre-order here:

As a thank you for being part of this community and reading these emails every week I want to give you a pre-order bonus…

If you pre-order the hardcover, I want to send you a personal thank you note via email and give you a free ticket to an exclusive private online event where we can get together and chat!

To get the bonuses, simply pre-order and then upload your receipt to this link:

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Reply to this email and tell me your favourite high fiber snack!