Bean brownies for MASH? Anything for good fiber!

As a child, I remember being told, quite often actually, that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

I never really understood what that meant in elementary school. I figured apples must work a lot like garlic supposedly works on vampires. I hated going to the doctor because of all the poking and prodding, so I ate just about every apple I was offered.

That even included Red Delicious apples, which may be red but, in my opinion, don’t live up to the “delicious” part nearly as well as a Honeycrisp.

Now, as a grown woman, I understand the sentiment behind the old saying a little better. Apples are just one of nature’s little nutrition bombs. Along with vitamins and other nutrients, they provide dietary fiber that helps support digestion, blood sugar control, cholesterol levels, and bowel health.

And fiber isn’t just your gut’s friend. Your liver may appreciate it, too.

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April 2, 2025 Columns by Kathryn Hudson

My diet for a healthy liver came from my doctor and a nutritionist

Feeding the gut-liver connection

If the thought of consuming more fiber immediately makes you picture taking up permanent residence in the bathroom, relax.

Most of us could stand to get more of it. Depending on age and sex, adult recommendations generally range from about 21 to 38 grams per day. It’s best to increase fiber gradually and drink enough fluids, since suddenly introducing mountains of roughage can leave your digestive system filing a formal complaint.

Fiber does much more than move things through the colon. Certain fermentable fibers feed beneficial microbes living in the gut. Those microbes, in turn, produce compounds called short-chain fatty acids.

Scientists are paying increasing attention to this relationship because the gut and liver communicate through what’s called the gut-liver axis. Research in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD, suggests that high-fiber diets may influence gut bacteria, insulin resistance, inflammation, and the accumulation of liver fat.

That’s an impressive résumé for something our bodies don’t even fully digest.

A balanced diet rich in whole foods, including fiber-rich foods, can also be part of managing steatotic liver disease. Living with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH, means finding the healthiest ways to eat to keep our liver chugging along, after all.

Fiber doesn’t necessarily mean spending your entire day on the commode, either. It can help make bowel movements more regular, which is different from turning your bathroom into your new home office.

Fiber beyond the cereal bowl

There are plenty of ways to add more fiber besides eating a bowl of high-fiber cereal every morning.

Fruits, vegetables, oats, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and lentils are all good sources.

One thing worth clarifying: Plain yogurt and kefir don’t naturally contain fiber because dairy products themselves aren’t fiber sources. They may contain beneficial live cultures, however, which means you can make them into a gut-friendly double act by adding berries, oats, chia seeds, ground flaxseed, or another plant-based source of fiber.

Some packaged yogurts also have fiber added, so check the label for ingredients such as inulin or chicory root fiber.

With soup season upon us, I often find myself throwing together pots of chili. Sometimes it’s beef-and-bean chili with red sauce. Other times, it’s chicken chili with white beans and jalapeños.

Beans are among the unsung heroes of the fiber world. Unfortunately, they also have a reputation for creating embarrassing moments of unplanned flatulence.

That reputation isn’t entirely undeserved. Some carbohydrates in beans make it to the large intestine without being fully digested, where bacteria enthusiastically ferment them and produce gas. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases lists beans and other legumes among foods that can trigger gas in some people.

There are products containing the enzyme alpha-galactosidase that may help break down some of those troublesome carbohydrates and reduce bean-related gas for some people.

Or you can always find an interesting plant or painting to admire if you’re in public, preferably somewhere in a secluded corner with excellent airflow.

Brownies count, right?

Lately, I’ve seen people turning cans of black beans into remarkably fudgy-looking brownies.

I may have to try this.

I love a good brownie, particularly one with added nutritional benefits that still tastes like it has absolutely no business being healthy. It makes me feel as though I’m indulging in something naughty instead of always being the good girl who never gets to have any fun with her food.

And food should be fun.

If you have any good ways of sneaking more fiber into your meals, I’d love to hear them.

In the meantime, I may have to whip up a batch of black bean brownies with a side of homemade frozen yogurt. Even though that sounds suspiciously virtuous, I’m confident I can damage its wholesome reputation with wicked additions such as sprinkles or powdered sugar.

Who said I had to be a good girl all the time?

Note: Liver Disease News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Liver Disease News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to liver disease.