Hitting your target protein, carbs, and fat is by far the most important factor in helping you reach your body composition goals, but that doesn’t mean that food sources don’t matter at all. This is because it’s important to get a minimum amount of fiber for general health.
Fiber is a type of carb found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans that is resistant to digestion. As a result, it promotes regularity, slows the absorption of food to help you control blood sugar, makes you feel more satisfied after meals, and helps to lower cholesterol.
Fiber can also act as a prebiotic to feed the good bacteria in your gut. These gut bacteria are important because they produce something called SCFAs (short chain fatty acids) when they consume this fiber. The SFCAs can have a major effect on your overall health by potentially improving glucose metabolism, improving immune health, lowering inflammation, and possibly even increasing your metabolism and reducing fat storage (more studies are needed).
Foods that are high in fiber tend to also be higher in vitamins and minerals. Hitting your fiber will ensure that you meet your micronutrient (vitamin and mineral) requirements, rather than just your macronutrient requirements.
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