As unexpected as it may sound, our gut health is foundational for all things beauty, especially for clear and glowing skin. While many foods and supplements work in concert to optimize our gut health from leafy greens to probiotics, fiber is a non-negotiable. In fact, without fiber we may have a hard time absorbing beauty supplements like collagen and vitamin C.

Almost 95% of us don’t consume anything close to the doctor recommended 30 grams of fiber a day. We can take all the new supplements and beauty potions we’d like, but if our fiber intake is off it will be tough to achieve anything near optimal gut health. And without a healthy gut, clear skin, good digestion and a healthy weight are hard to come by.

To get the doctor recommended 30 grams of fiber a day, we’d need to eat 3 pounds of baby spinach, 8 cups of blueberries, or 10 bananas daily. Supplementing with a simple drinkable version like Bellway is the easiest way we’ve found to keep our fiber intake up every day no matter what we’re eating or where we’re headed throughout the day. One serving of Bellway gets you 18% your daily recommended fiber. We love to pack along a stick pack of Bellway’s easy-to-dissolve powder in flavors like Raspberry Lemon, Mixed Berry and Lemon Lime to drink in the afternoons.

Getting enough fiber in our diets is one of those crucial pillars of health that is easy to overlook. We did a deep dive with Bellway to refresh ourselves on why this is so important and how to make it happen everyday to optimize our health. Here’s what you should know…

Gut Health Your gut is the foundation for true health. New findings show that fermentable fiber or ‘prebiotics’ can balance our gut microbiome by feeding and maintaining healthy levels of good bacteria. If these levels are not maintained, it’s possible for microbes to break down the protective lining of the gut (this condition is often called ‘leaky gut’). It’s important for the gut to remain intact for optimal functioning and that’s where prebiotics can save the day, feeding the good bacteria and encouraging a diverse microbiome, a key indicator of good gut health.

Fiber keeps bowel movements regular, and studies have shown it has a key role in the prevention of colon cancer and relief of irritable bowel syndrome symptoms.

Beauty The presence of fiber during digestion increases absorption of vitamin C that promotes glowing skin. It also increases the absorption of the protein collagen that maintains elasticity in connective tissue, ligaments and skin. As soluble fiber slows digestion, the amount of protein or collagen absorption increases, which boosts beauty for glowing skin, hair and nails. Fiber also allows for elevated levels of antioxidants that decrease the telltale signs of aging and keeps skin looking dewy and young.

Improved gut health is the biggest benefit for boosting beauty. Fiber helps keep a balanced microbiome and flushes toxins. Remaining toxins would otherwise be flushed through the skin as it is the body’s largest organ for releasing waste and toxicity; and in that case the skin would show the effects through dryness, eczema, or acne. Decreased acne or breakouts reduces risk of scarring for a consistent complexion.

immunity According to Dr. Will Bulsiewicz 70% of your immune system lives in your gut. “Picture this — the majority of your immune system, separated from almost 40 trillion microbes in your intestines by just a single layer of cells.

“You cannot separate gut health from immune health, they are completely intertwined. In a study comparing the effects of a high fiber to low fiber diet in protection from influenza, the mice given the high fiber diet lived longer, with less effects from the virus, and with better lung function. Scientists were surprised that the fiber was so important, but they shouldn’t have been. Fiber feeds the gut microbes, who consume it and get stronger, then release short chain fatty acids which are known to optimize immune function. The solution for optimal immune function is to feed your gut microbes fiber.”

Weight Loss & Regulation A 2015 study by Yunsheng Ma et al. in the Annals of Internal Medicine consisted of 240 overweight people in two groups over the course of 6 months. One group followed the American Heart Association’s diet for preventing heart disease with specifics that included eating more high-fiber foods and reducing salt, sugar, alcohol and fat. The other group was not given any specifics to diet other than to increase their fiber intake.

Both groups averaged an intake of 19 grams of fiber per day. And both groups lost weight at an average of 5 pounds and maintained this weight loss for at least a year. This study showed that a higher fiber diet is the simplest most healthy way to help you lose weight and feel better about your body.

The ways that fiber helps you achieve a healthier weight are, one, because of its bulk, you may not eat as much as you feel fuller for longer. Two, high-fiber fruits and vegetables are nutritious yet lower in calories than other foods, especially processed foods and meats. Three, fermentable fiber feeds and balances the gut’s microbiome allowing for good bacteria to thrive, digestion to be improved, and bloating reduced.

Blood Sugar Regulation Regulating our blood sugar is key in the prevention of diabetes. Fiber helps to slow the absorption of nutrients and sugars into the bloodstream over time, so that blood sugar levels increase more slowly as we eat. Because of this slower increase, the pancreas has time to produce insulin and blood sugar is regulated.

A 2009 study in the journal of Diabetes Care compared two groups, one that ate less than 20 grams of fiber daily versus the one that ate at least 31 grams of fiber daily. The group that ate less than 20 grams of fiber daily had a 50 percent higher risk of diabetes.

reduced inflammation Rachel Beller MS, RDN, celebrity weight loss and cancer prevention expert sees an alarming amount of inflammation in her Los Angeles practice. She says, “Fermentable fiber plays a large role in reducing inflammation as it stimulates the protective layer of growth in the lower gut tract. Reduction in inflammation can help to protect our bodies against diseases like arthritis and some cancers.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study that showed a linkage of elevated fiber intakes to reduced levels of C- reactive protein (CRP)- that is associated with increased inflammation. There was a 63 percent reduction in elevated levels of CRP in the group with high fiber intake. As well, decreased stomach gut acid levels accompany higher fiber intake and this helps prevent cancerous polyp growth that would be found in stomach and colon cancers.

How Much Fiber To Have Daily

Now you know all there is to know about fiber, you’re probably wondering what amount is right for you every day. Dietary fiber can also be found in foods like: sweet potatoes (6 grams), pears (5 grams), and raspberries (8 grams per cup) to name just a few. However, most of us don’t get enough that way, so Bellway has come up with a solution. 

Try taking Bellway 1-3 times per day, dissolving 1 serving of powder into at least 8 oz. of water — make sure the water it not too cold, or the powder won’t blend as well. Mix well and enjoy right away.

If you are not used to consuming enough fiber daily, you may experience some minor bloating with the first few servings of Bellway. Your body needs time to get used to the increased fiber intake. Like all new health habits, take it easy at first. Start with just 1 serving a day and gradually increase to no more than 3 servings daily as your body adjusts.

Dr. David Rosenberg, who treats and advises celebrity clientele in his Beverly Hills office remarks, “Bellway uses organic ingredients and provides the best quality fiber making it the first choice for my patients.”