How Much Fiber Do You Need A Day?

Drinks with Fiber

I recently found that Kellogg’s All-Bran has a fiber drink mix on the market (All-Bran Fiber Drink Mix). It provides you with a whopping 10 grams of fiber and only has 20 calories per packet(you add the packet to water just like you would crystal light). If you do not like artificial sweeteners then you most likely will not like this drink because it does have sucralose added.

You can also easily add a fiber supplement called Benefiber into many hot or cold beverages. All you do is stir a few teaspoons into your drink and it will dissolve. The great thing about this fiber supplement is that it does not alter the taste or consistency of the beverage in any way. Try adding it to your morning coffee or even to your water. The company that makes Benefiber does not recommend mixing with carbonated beverages.

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.

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.