How Much Fiber Do You Need A Day?

High Fiber Muffins – High Fiber Breakfast

If you are trying to follow a high fiber plan and are getting tired of eating high fiber cereal you may want to try some high fiber muffins for breakfast instead. Fiber One has a new product on the market now – Fiber One Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix. Each low fat high fiber muffin provides 20% of your recommended daily fiber intake and they are a great tasting muffin.  You can find Fiber One’s high fiber muffin mix at your grocery store where the cake mixes and other muffin mixes are located.  I prefer eating these high fiber muffins instead of plain bran muffins. My kids also enjoy eating these high fiber muffins.  The apple cinnamon flavor makes these healthy muffins a kid favorite while providing kids with a good source of dietary fiber.  Most bran muffins are also an excellent source of fiber. If you like to bake there are many high fiber muffin recipes online that incorporate high fiber cereals into the mix.  Just type high fiber muffins recipes into google and you will have a lot to choose from.

Splenda with Fiber

Splenda has a new item on the market…Splenda no calorie sweetener with Fiber.  The splenda company recognizes that most people do not get their recommended daily amount of fiber which is essential in keeping our bodies and colon healthy.  Each packet of Splenda with fiber has one gram of dietary fiber.   If you are a splenda user you can quickly and easily increase your fiber intake.  Consider adding two packets of splenda with fiber to your favorite morning coffee and sprinkle another packet on your whole grain cereal or oatmeal.  This gives you an additional 3 grams of fiber to your breakfast and gets you closer to getting 25-32 grams of fiber a day.

Relieving Constipation | Fiber and Constipation

Many of our readers have asked us about relieving constipation with fiber.

According to Wikipedia symptoms of constipation includes the following:

• infrequent bowel movements (typically 3 times or fewer per week)
• difficulty during defecation (straining during more than 25% of bowel movements or a subjective sensation of hard stools), or
• the sensation of incomplete bowel evacuation.

Constipation is not rare. Almost everyone of us has experienced symptoms of constipation at some point in our life. Most constipation is temporary and not serious, but some people do suffer from chronic and/or severe constipation.

The most common cause of constipation is a lack of fiber in one’s diet. Therefore, relieving constipation with fiber is a great way to start.

People who eat plenty of high fiber foods, such as high fiber cereal and fruits and vegetables, are less likely to become constipated. The bulk and soft texture of dietary fiber help stools become soft and easy to pass. Many people who have diets lacking in fiber have dry, hard stools that can be extremely difficult to pass- hence constipation. For people prone to chronic constipation or severe constipation, it is important to limit foods that have little or no fiber, such as ice cream or burgers.

Constipation relief can be pretty simple and easy to attain if you make an effort to meet your daily recommended fiber needs. There are so many high fiber foods on the market these days, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables, that you can easily create a high fiber diet plan. If you choose fiber as a means for relieving constipation, just make sure that you increase your water intake. If you increase your fiber intake without increasing your water intake you may actually cause yourself to get constipated.

Fiber for Children | High Fiber Kid Friendly Food

How much fiber does a child need a day? It is recommended that children get their age plus 5 grams of fiber a day. If you are looking to increase the amount of fiber in your child’s diet there are many high fiber kid friendly foods to choose from.

Fiber Foods for Kids

• Fruit – Fruits can be a great source of fiber for kids. Pears have 4-5 grams of fiber. Bananas have approx. 3 grams of fiber. Fruits are always a healthy snack for kids!
• Cereal – It is best to limit your child’s consumption of sugary cereals. Look for low sugar cereals made with whole grains. In order for a cereal to be considered high fiber look for cereals that have at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. You can also buy cheerios and add some of your own high fiber cereal. For example, All Bran’s new Strawberry Medley is great but may contain more fiber than your child really needs. Therefore, just mix a handful in with your child’s cheerios or cereal of choice.
• Mott’s Apple Sauce with added fiber – Mott’s now sells an applesauce that has added fiber. This applesauce is definitely a high fiber kid friendly food!
• Oatmeal
• Hannover’s now has a bunch of whole grain snacks. My boys love there whole grain cheese puffs and they have 3 grams of fiber per serving. Look in the chip section in your grocery store.

Be sure to check our list of high fiber foods for more suggestions.

Dietary Fiber Deficiency

Although there is no identifiable deficiency disease caused by lack of fiber in the diet, research does indicate that a low intake of dietary fiber, or a dietary fiber deficiency, over one’s life can be associated with numerous health problems. These health problems include constipation, bowel irregularities, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, raised cholesterol levels, and obesity. In order to avoid these health concerns associated with a dietary fiber deficiency one should definitely consume 25-35 grams of fiber per day.