When you are pregnant, the benefits of eating fiber increase. Eating fiber-rich foods is an important part of maintaining your digestive health, especially when you are pregnant. The dietary reference intake (DRI) for women is 28 grams of dietary fiber daily. However, most women actually get less than half of this recommended amount.

The facts about fiber and your pregnancy digestion
It might seem strange that fiber plays such an important role in digestive health because it is not a source of energy and it cannot actually be digested. However, fiber can benefit your pregnancy in multiple ways.

Fiber helps keep pregnancy weight gain under control
While you should be gaining weight throughout your pregnancy, you don't want to gain too much weight. High-fiber foods are a great way to help you feel fuller for longer, with fewer calories. This, in turn, will help you manage your pregnancy weight gain more effectively. In fact, National Institutes of Health studies have shown that people with high-fiber diets typically eat about 10% fewer calories.

Fiber helps prevent constipation during pregnancy
Constipation is one of the most common digestive symptoms during pregnancy. Eating the recommended amount of dietary fiber is the best way to help prevent constipation. For more information, learn how nutrition can help relieve pregnancy-related constipation.

Fiber helps regulate your blood sugar during pregnancy
Getting the right amount of fiber in your daily diet can slow the absorption of food, helping to prevent blood sugar from rising too quickly. This can help lower the risk of developing diabetes.

Fiber helps reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease during pregnancy
Certain types of fiber help lower low-density cholesterol (the bad type) by trapping cholesterol-rich bile acids in the digestive system, which helps prevent this cholesterol from being absorbed. This can reduce your risk for developing high blood pressure, as well as coronary artery disease or stroke.

How to add fiber to your pregnancy diet
It's best to increase your fiber intake gradually, so your body can adjust. Add fiber slowly and throughout six small meals or snacks a day.

You can find fiber in a variety of foods. Experts say that the type of fiber you eat is less important than making sure you get enough overall. However, getting fiber from natural food sources is always best. Try eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes to add a mix of various fibers, as well as a wide range of nutrients to your diet.