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.

If you are looking for an organic drink with fiber you may want to try drinking Silk’s new product Silk Plus Fiber. It is an organic soy milk and provides 5 grams of fiber per serving. Silk Plus Fiber offers a delicious and convenient way to boost your fiber intake and help you meet your daily fiber needs. I love Silk’s soy milk and definitely recommend this product. It would be a great addition to a high fiber cereal.

Like I have mentioned in earlier posts, if you are increasing the amount of fiber in your diet, make sure that you increase your water intake too. Water will help fiber do its job and help prevent constipation and gas pains.

If you are adding fiber to your diet make sure that you add it slowly and increase your water intake. If you increase your fiber intake too quickly it may result in gas and stomach pains. In order to add fiber without gas just increase the amount of dietary fiber you eat daily by a few grams until you reach your recommended amount. Start slow, don’t go from 10 to 35 grams of fiber in one day. It is important that you give your intestinal system time to adjust, and adding too much fiber too quickly can cause discomfort/gas. It is important to drink more water when you add fiber to your diet because if you don’t, the fiber will act as a sponge and absorb the water in your body. This, in turn, can cause constipation, dehydration and bloating.

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. (continue your reading )

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: (continue your reading )