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A Doctor's Confession: "I Told Patients to 'Eat More Fiber' for Years. Almost None of Them Could."

Published by

Alexandra Pierce, MD

A board-certified physician explains the simple daily routine that helps your body get the fiber it's quietly craving — without diets, powders, or any guesswork.

I've spent years sitting across from women who do almost everything "right."


They eat their vegetables. They drink their water. They try to make good choices.


And yet so many of them tell me the same things: "I feel bloated by the afternoon." "My digestion is just… off." "I never feel quite as light as I want to."


For a long time, I gave the same advice every doctor gives: "Try to eat more fiber."


Then one day it hit me. That advice almost never works. And it’s not because women don't follow the advice, but because getting enough fiber from food alone is really, really hard.


Here's the truth that surprised even me.

Almost Nobody Gets Enough Fiber

Fiber is the part of plants your body can't fully digest. It keeps things moving. It feeds the good bacteria in your gut. It helps you feel full and comfortable.


But here's the problem. The official U.S. Dietary Guidelines report that more than 90% of women and 97% of men do not get enough fiber each day.¹ One major review in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine put it even more plainly: only about 5% of Americans reach the recommended amount.²

Read that again. Only 5 out of 100 people get enough fiber. That means almost certainly, you don't either, and it's not your fault.


Modern food just doesn't have as much of it. So much of what we eat today is processed, and processing strips fiber out.


And to hit your daily target from food alone, you'd need to eat a small mountain of produce every single day. Think several servings of vegetables, fruit, beans, and whole grains, on top of everything else.


Most of us simply can't keep that up, day after day, year after year.


This gap matters. Fiber adds bulk to your stool, helps speed up the time it takes food to pass through, and feeds the helpful bacteria living in your gut.²


But when you're short on it day after day, your digestion is the first thing to feel it.

A Different Way to Think About Fiber

For years, fiber got lumped in with "diets." I want to change that.


This isn't about losing weight fast. And it's not a cleanse.


This is about a simple daily routine. The same way you'd take a vitamin that helps fill the fiber gap your diet leaves behind.


That's exactly why I started recommending BIOMA Fiber Gummies to the women I work with.


You take 2 tasty gummies, once a day. That's it.


They're sugar-free, taste like fruit, and they're built from real plant fibers and gentle herbs. There are no powders to mix. No giant pills to choke down, or any chalky taste.


But what really won me over was what's inside and the science behind it.

What's Actually in Each Gummy (And Why It Works)

Kiwi Fruit Powder

The star ingredient

Each daily serving delivers a strong dose of kiwi fruit powder, and kiwi is one of the most studied fruits for digestion.


A 2023 study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, that ran across three countries with 184 people, found that eating kiwifruit daily significantly increased the number of complete bowel movements per week and improved gut comfort. It even worked as well as psyllium, the standard fiber treatment doctors reach for.³


A separate placebo-controlled study found that kiwifruit powder helped people have more than one extra bowel movement per week. That’s a difference scientists consider truly meaningful.⁴


And another trial found that the natural enzyme in green kiwi, called actinidin, helped reduce bloating after a heavy meal.⁵


So in plain English: kiwi helps keep you regular and comfortable.

Ginger

For a calm, settled stomach

Ginger has been used for digestion for thousands of years, and now science backs it up.


In one clinical study, ginger nearly cut in half the time it took the stomach to empty and boosted the muscle movements that push food along.⁶


A review of clinical trials found ginger helps reduce bloating, gas, and cramping.⁷ That's why I love it paired with fiber as it helps your body handle the extra fiber smoothly.

Lemon Balm

The calm in your gut-brain connection

Your gut and your brain talk to each other constantly. Stress can upset your stomach, and an upset stomach can stress you out.


Lemon balm is a gentle herb shown in a controlled study to increase calmness and ease the body's stress response.⁸ It also has a natural soothing effect on the digestive tract muscles.⁹


A little daily calm can go a long way for your gut.

Prebiotic Fiber (FOS)

Food for your good bacteria

The gummies are built on a base of fructooligosaccharides, or FOS, a prebiotic fiber.


Prebiotics are food for the friendly bacteria in your gut.


A landmark human study showed that FOS made Bifidobacteria. Which is one of the most helpful bacteria groups and the dominant bacteria in the gut after just two weeks.¹⁰


And a large 2024 analysis of 17 studies found FOS significantly increased bowel frequency and softened stools.¹¹

Fruit Polyphenols

from pomegranate and strawberry

These two fruits add natural plant compounds called polyphenols. In one human study, pomegranate extract increased helpful gut bacteria like Lactobacillus and Akkermansia.¹²


In another, daily strawberry intake increased the diversity of good gut bacteria and lowered markers of inflammation.¹³

The Bonus: Your Body's Own "Fullness Switch"

Here's something exciting that researchers are learning about fiber.


Certain fermentable fibers can gently support your body's natural GLP-1. That’s the hormone that helps you feel full and satisfied after eating.


You've probably heard about GLP-1 lately. The good news is your body already makes it, and the right fiber may help.


In one study, a special fiber raised GLP-1 and another fullness hormone, and people ate about 14% less food at their next meal.¹⁴


In another, a prebiotic fiber left people feeling fuller and eating about 21% fewer calories at lunch.¹⁵


Now I want to be clear: these gummies are not a weight-loss drug, and they won't work like one. But supporting your body's own fullness signals, naturally, through fiber, is a wonderful, gentle bonus on top of better digestion.


When you feel satisfied after a meal, those late-afternoon cravings get a little easier to ignore. That's the kind of small, natural support I love to see.

Why I Recommend Making It a Simple Daily Routine

The reason most fiber advice fails is that it's hard to stick to. The reason I believe in this one is that it's almost effortless.


Two gummies. Once a day. Sugar-free. Tasty. Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and keto-friendly.


It's not about being perfect. It's about closing a gap that almost all of us have. And this way you’re doing it in a way you'll actually keep up.


I've watched too many good intentions fade because the plan was too hard. A habit only helps if you can stick with it, and two tasty gummies in the morning is about as easy as it gets.


Many of the women I work with keep the jar right next to their coffee maker. They take two gummies while the coffee brews, and that's the whole routine. Simple things, done daily, are what actually change how you feel.

You don't need to overhaul your life. You just need a small, smart daily habit that supports your gut, your digestion, and that light, comfortable feeling you deserve.


If you're one of the 95% not getting enough fiber, this is the easiest place I know to start.


— Dr. Maya Ellison, MD

Sources

  1. U.S. Department of Agriculture & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025. States that "more than 90 percent of women and 97 percent of men do not meet recommended intakes for dietary fiber" and lists fiber as a dietary component of public health concern. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans-2020-2025.pdf


  1. Quagliani D, Felt-Gunderson P. "Closing America's Fiber Intake Gap." American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2016. States that ~95% of American adults and children do not consume recommended fiber and only about 5% meet recommendations; describes fiber's role in stool bulk, transit time, and gut microflora fermentation. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6124841/


  1. Gearry R, et al. "Consumption of 2 Green Kiwifruits Daily Improves Constipation and Abdominal Comfort—Results of an International Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial." American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2023. n=184 across 3 countries; significant increase in complete spontaneous bowel movements and improved GI comfort, comparable to or better than psyllium. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10226473/


  1. Ansell J, et al. "Kiwifruit-derived supplements increase stool frequency in healthy adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study." Nutrition Research. 2015. Kiwifruit powder produced >1 additional bowel movement per week in responders (P=.005). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25931419/


  1. Wallace A, et al. "A Pilot Randomized Cross-Over Trial to Examine the Effect of Kiwifruit on Gastric Emptying and Whole Gut Transit Time." Nutrients. 2017. Randomized crossover study; green kiwifruit with actinidin significantly reduced bloating after a high-protein meal (P<0.028). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28640214/


  1. Wu KL, et al. "Effects of ginger on gastric emptying and motility in healthy humans." European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology. 2008. RCT (n=24); ginger nearly halved gastric half-emptying time (13.1 vs. 26.7 min) and increased antral contractions. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18403946/


  1. Nikkhah Bodagh M, et al. "Ginger in gastrointestinal disorders: A systematic review of clinical trials." Food Science & Nutrition. 2019. Review concluding ginger reduces intestinal cramping and helps prevent dyspepsia, flatulence, and bloating. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6341159/


  1. Kennedy DO, Little W, Scholey AB. "Attenuation of laboratory-induced stress in humans after acute administration of Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm)." Psychosomatic Medicine. 2004. RCT (n=18); lemon balm significantly increased self-rated calmness and reduced stress from a validated laboratory stressor. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15272110/


  1. Aubert P, et al. "Basal and Spasmolytic Effects of a Hydroethanolic Leaf Extract of Melissa officinalis on Intestinal Motility." Journal of Medicinal Food. 2019. Demonstrated dose-dependent spasmolytic (muscle-relaxing) activity of lemon balm on intestinal tissue, supporting its traditional digestive use. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6653806/


  1. Gibson GR, Roberfroid MB. "Dietary modulation of the human colonic microbiota: introducing the concept of prebiotics." Journal of Nutrition. 1995. Human crossover trial with 15 g/day FOS/inulin; Bifidobacteria became the numerically predominant bacterial group after two weeks. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7782892/


  1. Zhen H, et al. "Fructooligosaccharides for Relieving Functional Constipation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials." Foods. 2024. Meta-analysis of 17 RCTs (n=713); FOS significantly increased bowel frequency and softened stools. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11675838/


  1. Li Z, et al. "Pomegranate extract induces ellagitannin metabolite formation and changes stool microbiota in healthy volunteers." Food & Function. 2015. Human study (n=20); pomegranate extract significantly increased Lactobacillus and Akkermansia muciniphila. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26189645/


  1. Meiners F, et al. "Strawberry dietary intervention influences diversity and increases abundances of SCFA-producing bacteria in the gut microbiome of elderly adults." Microbiology Spectrum. 2025. Human RCT (n=69, 10 weeks); strawberry intake significantly increased gut bacterial diversity, elevated beneficial SCFA-producing bacteria, and was associated with decreased CRP (inflammation marker). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11792484/


  1. Chambers ES, et al. "Effects of targeted delivery of propionate to the human colon on appetite regulation, body weight maintenance and adiposity." Gut. 2015. Inulin-propionate ester acutely increased GLP-1 and PYY and reduced food intake by 13.8%. https://gut.bmj.com/content/64/11/1744


  1. Salmean YA. "Acute fiber supplementation with inulin-type fructans curbs appetite and reduces caloric intake." Food & Nutrition Research. 2017. Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study (n=40); higher fullness and ~21% lower caloric intake at lunch. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5510210/