Student Spotlight Episode: All things fibre

We are excited to present a special episode as the final episode of our season! This episode was created by fourth-year nutrition students at the University of Guelph as part of their Nutrition Communication course and was selected as the top podcast episode. Tune in to hear this fantastic episode from students Dawn and Daniel as they dive into all things fibre!

 

Transcripts

Heemani  (0:00 – 0:03)

Welcome back to the Healthy Habits Happy Homes podcast.

 

Manahil (0:03- 0:09)

Today, we have a special podcast episode created by fourth-year nutrition students as part of their nutrition communication class.

 

Heemani (0:10 – 0:22)

In this episode, Dawn and Daniel will be discussing all things fibre, its health benefits, common myths and misconceptions, and simple ways to help you meet your daily fibre goals. They’ve also included a fun quiz at the end to test your goals.

 

Manahil (0:22 – 0:25)

And now, let’s hear from Dawn and Daniel.

 

[music]

 

Dawn  (0:34 – 0:40)

Have you ever experienced constipation, bloating, felt tired, or had digestive issues?

 

Daniel (0:41 – 0:46)

Did you know this could be related to a diet low in fibre? My name is Daniel.

 

Dawn (0:46 – 1:01)

And I’m Dawn, and we’re fourth-year nutrition students at the University of Guelph who are passionate about promoting healthy choices for young adults. As nutrition students, we engage with the most up-to-date nutrition knowledge and guidelines as part of our studies.

 

Daniel (1:02 – 1:26)

In a world overflowing with confusing and conflicting nutrition advice, our goal is to give clear, evidence-based information you can trust. As emerging adults ourselves, which is anyone aged 18 to 29, we understand the habits, experiences, and challenges of this group because we are navigating them right alongside you.

 

Dawn (1:27 – 1:45)

In today’s episode, we’ll guide you through what fibre is, why it matters for young adults, challenges young adults are facing and getting enough, some simple strategies to help hit your fibre goals, and if you stick around to the end of the episode, we have a quick quiz to put your new knowledge to the test.

 

Daniel (1:53 – 2:15)

So, many of you are probably wondering, what exactly is fibre? Well, fibre is a special type of carbohydrate that our bodies cannot break down. Fibre is found in all types of plant foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes.

 

Dawn (2:16 – 2:55)

Now, that’s all great, but you might be thinking, ” Why should I care about fibre?” Well, fibre keeps you full longer, supports digestion, keeps blood sugar levels steady, supports your gut health, can help lower cholesterol, and much more. There are also negative consequences to not getting enough fibre.

 

A recent study by Viraniz et al. 2025 published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that not getting enough fibre in your diet may be linked to the development of different health conditions, like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, diverticular disease, obesity, and colon or pancreatic cancers.

 

Daniel (2:55 – 3:17)

These potential health risks highlight why low-fibre intakes are so important to address, not just in adulthood, but starting as early as possible. Results from the Canadian Community Health Survey from 2015 estimate that only 2 out of 10 young adults are hitting their daily fibre goals.

 

Dawn (3:18 – 3:40)

So, why do a large majority of young adults not get enough fibre in their diets? It can be common for this age group to rely on convenience and ultra-processed foods, which are quick and cheap, but typically very low in fibre. At the same time, many people aren’t aware of which foods are good high-fibre choices or how to prepare easy fibre-rich meals.

 

Daniel (3:41 – 3:55)

Many people also believe that high-fibre foods are more expensive, but they don’t have to be. If you stick around, later in the episode, we’ll give you some tips on how to reach your fibre goals on a budget.

 

[music]

 

Dawn (4:05 – 4:21)

Welcome back! We were on the topic of why young adults are not achieving their daily fibre goals. A big part of this comes down to attitudes and beliefs. Some young adults believe fibre is only important for seniors because they don’t realize it plays a key role in long-term health.

 

Daniel (4:22 – 4:49)

This is a total myth. Fibre is vital at every age to support good health, including childhood, the teen years, and adulthood. Speaking of myths, let’s tackle a few other common misconceptions about fibre.

 

We’ve gathered some common myths we have heard, and we’ll address them using the latest evidence-based research.

Myth number one. Fibre makes you bloated and should be avoided.

 

Dawn (4:50 – 5:05)

The truth is that although fibre can cause some discomfort and bloating at first, gradually increasing your intake and drinking lots of water can prevent this. Your body will adjust over time, and the health benefits far outweigh the temporary discomfort.

 

Daniel (5:06 – 5:10)

Myth number two. Whole grains don’t taste good.

 

Dawn (5:11 – 5:26)

This area has improved a lot in recent years. Many whole-grain breads and pastas now taste just as good as refined versions, while providing more fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Sometimes you have to experiment before finding one that works for you.

 

Daniel (5:27 – 5:31)

Myth number three. Eating high fibre is expensive.

 

Dawn (5:31 – 5:48)

While some high-fibre foods can be expensive, like nuts and seeds, there are many options that are affordable. Canned beans, oats, lentils, berries, popcorn, frozen fruits and vegetables, all inexpensive and all high in fibre.

 

Daniel (5:49 – 5:54)

Myth number four. Frozen fruits and vegetables aren’t as good as fresh.

 

Dawn (5:55 – 6:37)

Frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh, and sometimes even more so. They’re usually frozen within hours of being picked, which locks in vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Frozen options are also budget-friendly, last longer, and reduce food waste.

 

We’ve talked a lot about meeting our fibre goals, but how much should young adults actually be getting? Canada has guidelines called the Daily Recommended Intakes, or DRIs, which outline how much of each nutrient we need for good health. According to these DRIs, males in this age group should be getting a minimum of 38 grams of fibre a day, and females should be aiming for 25 grams a day.

 

Daniel (6:38 – 7:09)

To figure out whether a food helps you meet your fibre needs, you can start by checking the Nutrition Facts Table. These are usually found on the side or back of a package, and the first thing to do is look out for the serving size. Serving sizes are always listed at the top of the table, and tell you how much of a food people usually consume in one sitting. After you’ve found this, look under fibre to check the number of grams you’ll get from that serving.

 

Dawn (7:10 – 8:00)

According to Health Canada, a food that is labelled a source of fibre has a minimum of two grams per serving. A high source of fibre food has a minimum of four grams per serving, and a very high source of fibre food has a minimum of six grams of fibre per serving. To help put this in perspective, here’s how much fibre is found in some common everyday foods.

One slice of whole-grain bread has anywhere from two to four grams of fibre. Half a cup of black beans gives about seven grams. One cup of edamame and one cup of raspberries both have approximately eight grams. One avocado or one bag of air-popped popcorn both have close to 10 grams of fibre, and one cup of cooked lentils has about 15 grams. A real fibre hero.

 

Daniel (8:01 – 8:27)

Now that we’ve talked about what our daily goals are, we want to go over some ways you can be successful in reaching them. You can make easy swaps to pantry staples like choosing whole-grain bread, pasta, or rice instead of white or refined versions. Swap out sugary cereals for oatmeal, bran, or whole grain options to easily up your fibre.

 

Dawn (8:29 – 8:49)

You can add sources of fibre to foods you’re already consuming, like chia seeds, black seeds, or berries to yogurt, oatmeal, or smoothies. Try adding a serving of beans or lentils to soups, curries, chilli, pasta sauces, or salads. Snack on popcorn instead of chips if you’re in the mood for something savoury.

 

Daniel (8:51 – 9:28)

Choose whole fruits or smoothies over fruit juices. Juicing removes most of the fibre, which helps you feel full and supports steady digestion. Without that fibre, fruit juice can cause a quicker spike in blood sugar. You can try leaving edible peels on whenever you can. The skin of fruits and vegetables is usually packed with fibre. Keep the skin on produce like potatoes, carrots, apples, pears, cucumbers, and more to maximize the fibre in every bite.

 

Dawn (9:29 – 10:15)

One of my personal favourite tips is to pre-cut your fruits and vegetables ahead of time. Having them ready to grab and go makes it much easier to snack on them throughout the day. Hopefully, these tips show you that boosting your fibre intake doesn’t have to be stressful or complicated.

 

We’ll be right back with some personal suggestions from our own pantries that help us stay on track with our fibre goals.

Thanks for sticking around. Now we aren’t just all talk about our fibre intakes. Before we came here, we took a look in our pantries to see what we stock to make sure our diets are full of fibre, and we wanted to share with you.

 

Daniel (10:16 – 10:48)

In my pantry:  definitely oats, popcorn kernels, and frozen berries. They last forever, they’re affordable, and they make putting together high-fibre snacks ridiculously easy. I can throw oats into yogurt, pop some kernels for a quick snack, or toss frozen berries into a smoothie whenever I need something fast. Having these staples around makes it so much easier to keep my fibre intake up without even thinking about it.

 

Dawn (10:48 – 11:13)

I always keep a variety of nuts and seeds stocked, like almonds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, and hemp hearts. They make great additions to so many meals, or many can be snacked on by themselves.

I also love to keep canned beans or vegetables on hand. They’re great to add to so many recipes and last a long time, so I don’t need to worry about keeping fresh produce stocked or having it go bad.

 

Daniel (11:15 – 11:46)

Now, we hope you’ve been paying attention to our fibre pack episode.

To test what you’ve been learning we have a quiz called ” Full of Fibre” or “Full of It.” We will read out five different foods, some high in fibre and some low, and see if you can guess correctly.

 

Our first question:  Are blueberries full of fibre or full of it? We’ll give you a couple seconds to think of your answer.

 

Dawn (11:50 – 11:59)

The correct answer is full of fibre. Blueberries contain about four grams per cup, making them a great choice to help you reach your health goals.

 

Daniel (12:00 – 12:06)

Question two: Are almonds full of fibre or full of it?

 

Dawn (12:09 – 12:17)

Full of fibre. Almonds are naturally rich in fibre, healthy fats, and protein. They’re a great choice to support overall nutrition.

 

Daniel (12:18 – 12:25)

Question three: Are Instant Noodles full of fibre or full of it?

 

Dawn (12:29 – 12:39)

Full of it. Instant noodles are made from refined flour, which removes most of the natural fibre. Try a whole-grain pasta instead for a higher fibre choice.

 

Daniel (12:40 – 12:45)

Question four: Is quinoa full of fibre or full of it?

 

Dawn (12:49 – 12:57)

Quinoa is full of fibre. Quinoa is actually a seed that provides plenty of fibre along with protein, vitamins, and minerals.

 

Daniel (12:58 – 13:04)

Question five: Is Greek yogurt full of fibre or full of it?

 

Dawn (13:08 – 13:53)

If you said full of it, you would be right. Greek yogurt is high in protein but contains almost no fibre. You can boost its fibre content by adding foods like berries, oats, or nuts and seeds.

 

We hope you did well in our quiz.

Now we have a few bonus questions from our episode to really test your knowledge.

 

Bonus question one: According to Health Canada, a food that is a high source of fibre has a minimum of how many grams per serving?

 

Is it A) three grams of fibre, B) four grams of fibre, C) seven grams of fibre, or D) 10 grams of fibre?

 

Daniel (13:57 – 14:22)

If you said B, you would be correct. According to Health Canada, a food is labelled a source of fibre if it has a minimum of two grams per serving. A very high source of fibre food has a minimum of six grams of fibre per serving, and a high source of fibre food has four grams per serving, making B the correct answer.

 

Dawn (14:23 – 14:29)

Okay, last question:  True or false, frozen fruits and vegetables have less fibre than fresh?

 

Daniel (14:33 – 14:57)

This is false. If you remember from our myth-busting section, frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh, and sometimes even more so. Freezing after they’re picked helps lock in vitamins, minerals, and fibre, so frozen options are budget-friendly, can last longer, and reduce food waste.

 

Dawn (14:58 – 15:04)

Well, that’s it for our quiz. We hope you had fun and were able to put your new fibre knowledge to the test.

 

Daniel (15:14 – 15:25)

So, in a nutshell, (which are, conveniently, full of fibre) we hope you enjoyed today’s episode and picked up some tips that will help you on your fibre journey.

 

Dawn (15:25 – 15:37)

We hope you learned that high-fibre diets are important for people of all ages because they help keep you full, support digestion, improve gut health, regulate blood sugar, and so much more.

 

Daniel (15:37 – 15:53)

And remember, getting more fibre doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Simple swaps, pantry staples, or finding ways to add a few high-fibre foods into the meals you are already preparing can make a big difference.

 

Dawn (15:54 – 16:15)

We’d like to leave this episode with a challenge. Try adding five grams of extra fibre to your diet today. That could be a handful of nuts, some berries in your yogurt, or making the switch to whole grains. Find whatever works best for you and let us know how it goes.

 

Good luck on your fibre journey, and thanks so much for listening. Bye now.

 

Manahil (16:16 – 16:30)

Thank you, Dawn and Daniel, for this informative episode. We hope you found this episode of Healthy Habits, Happy Homes helpful. Follow us on our Instagram at Family Health Study and Facebook at Guelph Family Health Study to stay up to date with our latest episodes.