Most of us are told to eat more fibre, and most of us should. The UK target is 30g a day, and the average adult manages about 20g. But if you have a sensitive gut, adding a big bowl of bran on Monday can leave you bloated by Tuesday.

Why some fibre bloats and some doesn’t

Fibre isn’t one thing. Soluble fibre, in oats, carrots and the inside of fruit, forms a soft gel and tends to be gentle. Some fermentable fibres, in onions, garlic, beans and wheat, feed gut bacteria quickly and make gas as they go. That isn’t harmful, but it can be uncomfortable when your gut is sensitive.

The trick is to go slowly and start with the gentle sources. These are the swaps we use first in clinic:

• Porridge oats instead of bran flakes at breakfast

• A small handful of berries rather than a big bowl of dried fruit

• Carrots, courgette and green beans before beans and lentils

• One teaspoon of chia or ground linseed stirred into yoghurt

Add one new fibre food every few days, not five on the same morning. Your gut needs time to get used to it.

Drink a little more water as you go, because fibre works best when it has fluid to hold on to. And keep a note of how you feel: two weeks of simple notes tells us more than any list of banned foods.

If bloating comes with pain, weight loss, blood in your stool or a change in your bowel habits that lasts more than a few weeks, please see your GP before changing your diet.