How to incorporate more fiber into a cancer diet

We recently hosted an exclusive webinar, “Navigating the Importance of Nutrition After a Cancer Diagnosis” with Rachel Beller, MS, RDN, an established registered dietitian, best-selling author, and founder of The Beller Nutritional Institute, specializing in oncology nutrition and weight management.

Rachel has been featured on TV programs including The Biggest Loser, Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, and more. In this discussion, Rachel shares the latest research on how nutrition can support your treatment outcomes, recovery, and overall health after a cancer diagnosis. She provides practical strategies for creating a balanced diet, explore advancements in oncology nutrition, and address common challenges that cancer patients face. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to learn directly from a leading registered nutritionist.

**Transcript below**

So here’s something I’ve noticed through my years of working in the research setting, where I had to carefully monitor participants. I was working on a research study that looked at the prevention of recurrence with dietary modifications for the first 10 years of my career at a research hospital.

What I did notice is that people knew fiber was important. We all know, and there’s been so much buzz about fiber. But despite knowing it, so few actually consume enough. Only 3% of Americans are getting the recommended amount of fiber. If I were to look at all of you, an audience of hundreds, and ask who really knows how important fiber is for our health, almost everyone would raise their hand. But when it comes down to doing a dietary analysis and a history, even in my practice, where I have people who know a lot about nutrition, they’re still not getting enough fiber.

We want to be at about 30 to 35 grams of fiber per day. I illustrated an example here: someone who eats oatmeal, a bunch of fruit, a big salad, and tons of vegetables with brown rice, and they’re still just a little over half of what we want. This is a pretty good diet, so I’m not discouraging you, but I do want to emphasize how important it is to really focus on something that seems so simple—give it time. We’re focusing on reaching our daily 30 to 35 grams.

We’re all different, so do it gradually. Some people will say they do well by increasing 10 grams at a time above what they’re currently doing. Some people can go all in and have about 35 grams from day one, and they’re just fine as long as they distribute it. But I want to emphasize that it’s not just about the number; it’s also about diversification. Just like any investment, you want to diversify. You’re not going to put everything in one place, hopefully. So we have insoluble fiber, soluble fiber, prebiotic fibers, and beta-glucans that are supportive of our immune system.

As I mentioned in the beginning, my passion project is to empower and help individuals be proactive. I can talk about the research, but now I’m really excited about this talk because I get to tell you what you might do tomorrow, or even today.

Here’s one suggestion I give my patients and my master class participants: front-load your day with about 10 grams of fiber before noon. A lot of people come to me and say they’re intermittent fasting, which is no problem. Just shift that intake to another part of the day, but make sure you’re getting about 10 grams. For example, sprouted organic oats only have about 4 grams of fiber, which is modest.

So what I have people do, especially to prevent blood sugar spikes, is to select one of my starter kit fiber boosters. Maybe you’ve never tried basil seeds before and are curious. Great! Take a tablespoon, gel it in water for 30 seconds, stir it in, and now you’ve installed that set of “breaks” that I talked about earlier. You’re not tasting it, and it’s great—it’s got omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and minerals. It’s going to give you more lasting energy, and your blood sugars will be supported.

Or you might try sprouted, vacuum-sealed ground flax, which is delicious. Don’t try them all at once, though. I usually tell people to start with two and rotate them for a few months. Then switch it up. I’ve got whole hemp seeds, which are also delicious and crunchy. If you can find them online, grab them, because they usually sell out. These look different from traditional hemp hearts because they have the shell, so it’s both fiber and protein.

Again, play around with one or two, but don’t overwhelm yourself. That doesn’t last. After a few months, I start introducing another fiber booster, like a prebiotic fiber powder. Not in lieu of these—these are keepers.

Another way to diversify your breakfast is by not eating the same thing every day. Maybe you’re rotating your fiber boosters, and the next step is to rotate the base. I love recommending my fiber-on-the-go AM fiber cookies. I travel with these all the time. They’re great and only have about four ingredients.