How Much Fiber Do You Need A Day?

Best Fiber Supplement

We have received a few emails asking what is the best fiber supplement on the market? Before we answer that question, there are some questions that you have to ask yourself (or your doctor if you have special circumstances in terms of your intestinal tract, colon, etc). Finding the best fiber supplement depends on your needs, preference, and body. There are many different types of fiber supplements:

• Psyllium or Psyllium Seed Husks – Psyllium is a soluble fiber that is found in many high fiber cereals. These cereals have gained much attention due to the fact that they may reduce cholesterol levels. Psyllium is the main ingredient in supplements such as Metamucil and Fiberall. Psyllium can be taken daily and helps with constipation, IBS, and diverticulosis. Side effects? Psyllium may cause gas.
• Glucomannan – Glucomannan is found in an Asian plant, the konjac. Glucomannan is a soluble fiber that is sometimes added to noodles, stews, and sauces as a thickener. This supplement helps with constipation, cholesterol levels, and even obesity.
• Methylcellulose – Methylcellulose is actually chemically produced and does not occur naturally. Methylcellulose is mainly used to combat constipation as it creates a softer stool. This supplement can also be used to treat diverticulosis, hemorrhoids, and IBS. Citrucel is the best known supplement on the market.
• Calcium polycarbophil – Also synthetically produced, polycarbophil absorbs water in the intestine and creates a bulkier stool. Polycarbophil is mainly used as a laxative. Popular products include Fibercon and Fiber-Lax. These can be used to treat constipation, diverticulosis, and IBS.

As with any fiber supplement, make sure you start slow and make sure you drink plenty of water.

So, what is the best fiber supplement? Personally, I like Benefiber. It’s tasteless, odorless, and doesn’t clump up in liquids. Let us know what you think is the best fiber supplement.

Treating diverticulosis

Most of you who arrived at this post are probably already familiar with diverticulosis and are probably looking for treatment options. For those of you who don’t know what diverticulosis is, here is a quick definition from Wikipedia:

Diverticulosis, otherwise known as “diverticular disease“, is the condition of having diverticula in the colon which are outpocketings of the colonic mucosa and submucosa through weaknesses of muscle layers in the colon wall. These are more common in the sigmoid colon, which is a common place for increased pressure. This is uncommon before the age of 40 and increases in incidence after that age.

Basically, your colon wall becomes lined with mucus filled pockets which makes it difficult to pass stools. So, what is the recommended treatment for diverticulosis? Quite simply…eat more fiber. Fiber makes your stools retain water, thus making it easier to pass. If you are having trouble getting enough fiber in your diet, see our previous post that offers a sample high fiber diet.

How to meet my daily fiber needs | High fiber diet

Eating 25-35 grams of fiber a day can be difficult if you don’t know what foods to choose. In trying to create a plan to meet my daily fiber needs I have discovered some great foods with really high amounts of fiber. These foods make it easy to meet your daily fiber requirements.

My sample high fiber diet

Breakfast

Bowl of Fiber One Honey Clusters – 13 grams of fiber

Banana added to cereal – 3 grams of fiber

I was hesitant to try this cereal thinking that is would probably be disgusting, but to my surprise it is actually pretty good. I love it with bananas added!

Lunch – Turkey sandwich on Nature’s Own Double Fiber Bread- bread 10 grams of fiber (5 grams per slice) This bread is new in stores and it is also quite good! A really easy way to add fiber to your diet.

At the completion of lunch I have already gotten 26 grams of fiber which is 1 more gram than the daily recommended amount for women. It is recommended that men under the age of 50 get 38 grams of fiber per day. 10 plus grams of fiber can easily be added to the day.

Snack – pear – 3-5 grams of fiber or Fiber One Snack Bar – 9 grams of fiber

Dinner – just add a 1/2 cup of beans to your meal and you will add anywhere from 5 – 10 grams of fiber depending on the type of bean

As you can see from this sample fiber diet it is really not that hard to meet your daily fiber needs. I will keep you updated on other items high in fiber as I come across them in the stores.

When adding more fiber to your diet make sure that you increase your water intake and get at least 8 cups a day. If you do not drink enough water, adding more fiber to your diet can actually have an opposite effect and get you constipated.

List of foods high in fiber

A high fiber food chart helps you know the foods high in dietary fiber. Adding more foods high in dietary fiber from the high fiber food chart can help you obtain the recommended 25-30 grams of fiber each day. Sufficient daily fiber intake is important, not just because of helping the bowels function, but to provide nutrients to friendly bacteria in the digestive tracts.

Low-fiber diets have been connected to numerous diseases and conditions such as colon cancer, constipation, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, heart disease, high blood pressure, hemorrhoids and varicose veins are examples. Correcting low fiber intake for your diet can help you achieve regular bowel movements necessary for optimum health.

Here are top foods high in dietary fiber along with the approximate number of grams of fiber they contain. Fiber contents shown below on the high fiber food chart are for a food quantity of 1/2 cup unless otherwise noted:

• Bananas, 3 grams – medium 8″ long

• Beans, 6-10 grams – baked beans, black beans, great northern beans, kidney beans, garbanzos, pinto beans, white beans

• Berries, 4-5 grams – blackberries, raspberries

• Bran Cereals, 5-10 grams – All-Bran, Bran Buds, 100% Bran, Raisin Bran

• Bread, 4-7 grams – 2 slices whole wheat, pumpernickel, seven-grain

• Broccoli, 4-5 grams

• Brussels Sprouts, 2 grams

• Carrots, 3-4 grams

• Dried Figs, 10 grams – 3 figs

• Fruit, 4 grams – medium apple, medium pear

• Green Beans, 2 grams – broad beans, pole beans, snap beans

• Greens, 4-6 grams – beet greens, collards, kale, spinach, turnip greens

• Lentils, 6 grams

• Lima Beans – 4-6 grams

• Peas, 7-9 grams – black-eyed peas, green peas

• Potatoes, 4-5 grams – medium baked Idaho or sweet potato

• Sweet Corn, 5 grams

When making changes to your diet to include more foods from the high fiber food chart, just add a few grams at a time so your intestinal tract can adjust. And important for bowel health is that adequate liquid be present for good bowel function. Each fiber particle absorbs liquid in the colon which helps facilitate regular movement along in the bowels, so make sure that you are consuming adequate liquids daily.

If you find that after a few weeks of consuming more foods from the high fiber food chart you are still not having a daily bowel movement, consider adding a fiber supplement. One of the best natural foods high in dietary fiber is psyllium made from ground-up psyllium seeds. It may take several weeks to achieve daily bowel movements, but the reward will be that wastes and toxins will be eliminated from your system instead of your body reabsorbing them.

Fiber and Weight Loss

Getting Enough Fiber Is Important For Weight Loss
By: Lee Dobbins

Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet, but did you know it can help you in your weight loss efforts? Filling up on fiber can help you to feel full for longer, therefore causing you to eat less overall which will result in healthy weight loss.
In addition to helping you lose weight, fiber also has many positive health effects. Fiber has been linked to managing diabetes, cutting cholesterol, and limiting heart damage. One Swiss study found that eating a high-fiber meal reduced hunger more than a meal which was low in fiber.

How Much Fiber Do You Need?
You should consume between 25 to 35 grams of fiber a day. While that might not sound like a lot, most Americans only get about 15 grams and many much less. Fiber can be found in most fruits and vegetables including carrots, peas, broccoli, spinach, and cauliflower.

In addition, there are many cereals and breads that have a good amount of fiber, but you must read the labels to determine which ones. Typically anything made with whole wheat or whole oats or bran will have fiber – plus these cereals tend to be natural and low in fat and sugar which also help with your weight loss and are better for you overall.
How Can You Eat More Fiber?
There are some easy ways that you can increase your fiber intake. Think about adding garbanzo beans to a salad or soup, or add a tablespoon of bran to your cereal. Leaving the skins on fruits and vegetables will also increase your fiber intake. The actual fiber content of each individual food isn’t that much so it is best if you simply eat more types or servings of fiber rich foods each day.
Consider eliminating meat from some of your meals. Meat has no fiber, and it doesn’t give you the benefit that you get with fiber-rich food. Instead, try eating more grains, fruits, and vegetables. In this way, you can be sure your meal has a healthy concentration of fiber.

Add Fiber Gradually
It might be difficult for your body to become accustomed to a diet that is rich in fiber. It is indeed counter-cultural, since many families grew up consuming a great deal of meat. However, if you’re really want to lose weight and be healthy, you’ll give fiber-rich meals a try. Fiber rich foods, combined with sensible eating, can help you lose weight and keep it off.
Don’t try to totally change to a high fiber overnight. It may require a great deal of trial-and-error before you hit upon the right amount of fiber. However, in the end, you may be amazed at the positive role that fiber plays in your diet. And it may inspire you to encourage your loved ones to add more fiber to their own diets as well. A diet high fiber diet can help you to manage the amount of food you eat and has many health benefits. So load up on fiber-and watch your waistline shrink as a result!

Author Bio
Lee Dobbins writes about Low Carb and Low GI eating as well as other weight loss issues. Visit www.lowcarb-resource.com for more articles on healthy dieting. Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com – Free Website Content