Additional Coverage:
- A gut health scientist who follows the Mediterranean diet shared his go-to, fiber-packed breakfast, lunch, and dinner (businessinsider.com)
Gut Health Expert Jordan Haworth Shares His High-Fiber Mediterranean Diet Routine
Jordan Haworth, a gastrointestinal physiologist based in the UK, emphasizes the vital role fiber plays in maintaining overall health. More than just aiding digestion, Haworth explains that fiber helps lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugar, and nourishes beneficial gut microbes-factors that collectively reduce risks of cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer, and diabetes.
An advocate for the Mediterranean diet, widely regarded as one of the healthiest eating patterns globally, Haworth aims to consume at least 30 grams of fiber daily, in line with UK dietary guidelines. This diet emphasizes whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, and fish, focusing on nutrient-rich, minimally processed foods.
Here’s a glimpse into how Haworth incorporates fiber into his daily meals:
Breakfast: Overnight Oats Soaked in Kefir
Haworth prepares his breakfast the night before, opting for overnight oats soaked in kefir-a fermented milk drink-combined with Greek yogurt, frozen raspberries, chia seeds, and walnuts.
Raspberries offer around eight grams of fiber per cup, while chia seeds contribute approximately ten grams per ounce. Recently, he’s diversified his grains by experimenting with barley and buckwheat to promote a more varied gut microbiome, which is linked to better health outcomes.
Lunch: Wholewheat Greek-Style Pasta Salad
For lunch, Haworth keeps it simple with a salad featuring whole wheat pasta, which provides more fiber than traditional white pasta. He adds chopped cucumber, red onion, tomatoes, bell peppers, and feta cheese-the classic ingredients of a Greek salad-dressed generously with extra virgin olive oil, a Mediterranean diet staple rich in antioxidants.
Dinner: One-Pot Meal with Fish and Legumes
Dinner often consists of a one-pot dish featuring fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, or sardines paired with legumes like chickpeas or beans.
Half a can of beans delivers about seven to eight grams of fiber. Haworth starts by sautéing garlic in olive oil, then adds the fish, legumes, and a variety of vegetables, seasoning with herbs and spices.
He may also include whole-wheat bread on the side for an extra fiber boost.
Through this balanced, fiber-rich approach, Jordan Haworth exemplifies how thoughtful eating can support gut health and reduce chronic disease risk.