High Fiber Diet

Fiber helps digestion and helps prevent constipation. A high fiber diet may help prevent cancer, heart disease, and other serious ailments. The problem is that most Americans don't get enough fiber. The typical American eats only about 11 grams of fiber a day, according to the American Dietetic Association.

As much as 25 to 35 grams of fiber a day is needed to help reduce the risk of chronic disease, including heart disease.

Children - 10 grams plus the child's age. Example, an 8 year old child would need 10 grams + 8 years = 18 grams per day.

Found only in plant foods, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds, fiber is composed of complex carbohydrates.

Some fibers are soluble in water and others are insoluble. Most plant foods contain some of each kind.

There are two types of dietary fiber, soluble and insoluble.

Soluble Fiber

Soluble fiber retains water and turns to gel during digestion. It also slows digestion and nutrient absorption from the stomach and intestine. Some foods containing high levels of soluble fiber are:

Dried beans
Oats
Barley
Some fruits, notably apples and citrus
Vegetables, such as potatoes
Navy beans and oatmeal are rich sources of soluble fiber

Insoluble Fiber

Insoluble fiber appears to speed the passage of foods through the stomach and intestines and adds bulk to the stool. Foods high in insoluble fiber are:

Wheat bran
Whole grains
Cereals
Seeds
The skins of many fruits and vegetables

Slow Going

A word of caution: When increasing the fiber content of your diet, it's best to take it slow. Add just a few grams at a time to allow the intestinal tract to adjust, otherwise, abdominal cramps, gas, bloating, and diarrhea or constipation may result. Other ways to help minimize these effects:

Drink at least 2 liters (8 cups) of fluid daily.
Don't cook dried beans in the same water you soaked them in.
Use enzyme products, such as Beano or Say Yes To Beans, that help digest fiber.

Fiber is very important to a healthy diet and can be a helpful aid in weight management. One of the best sources of fiber comes from legumes, the group of food containing dried peas and beans.

To find foods high in fiber, read the nutrition label on the back of the food product.

Stay Healthy:

Make sure your diet is low in fat and cholesterol, and rich in fruits, vegetables, and grain products that contain fiber.

Fiber One has a great array of products that are filled with fiber, and are tasty! I love the Fiber One bars. The Oats and Caramel is my favorite and Oats and Peanut Butter is a close second. They also have cereal products and breakfast pastries which are good. Their pastries taste similar to pop tarts, except they are full of fiber!

Some Good Sources of Dietary Fiber Include:

Barley
Navy Beans
Baked Beans
Split Peas
Lentils
Wheat Flour
Oat Bran
Dates
Refried Beans
Raspberries
Asian Pears
Green Peas
Kellogg's All-Bran Cereal
Couscous, dry
Prunes
Kellogg's Raisin Bran Cereal
Spinach
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Artichokes
Brussels sprouts
Progresso Healthy Classics Lentil Soup
Shredded Wheat Cereal
Broccoli
Pears
Raisins
General Mills Total Raisin Bran cereal
bran cereals,
bran muffins

Mixed Vegetables
Strawberies
Carrots
Potatoes (with the skin on)
Corn
Rice
Figs
General Mills Cheerios cereal
Apples (with the skin on)
Oranges
Air Popped Popcorn
Oatmeal
Applesauce
Tomato Soup
Fruit Cocktail
Graham Crackers
Whole Wheat Bread
General Mills Honey Nut Cheerios cereal
Pistachio Nuts
Peanuts
Celery

To Fit More Fiber Into Your Day:

Read food labels. The labels of almost all foods will tell you the amount of dietary fiber in each serving, as well as the Percent Daily Value (DV) based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

Use the U.S. Department of Agriculture's food pyramid as a guide. If you eat 2 to 4 servings of fruit, 3 to 5 servings of vegetables, and 6 to 11 servings of cereal and grain foods, as recommended by the pyramid, you should have no trouble getting 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day.

Start the day with a whole-grain cereal that contains at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. Top with wheat germ, raisins, bananas, or berries, all of which are good sources of fiber.

When appropriate, eat vegetables raw. Cooking vegetables may reduce fiber content by breaking down some fiber into its carbohydrate components. When you do cook vegetables, microwave or steam only until they are al dente - tender, but still firm to the bite.

Avoid peeling fruits and vegetables. Eating the skin and membranes ensures that you get every bit of fiber. But rinse with warm water to remove surface dirt and bacteria before eating. Also, keep in mind that whole fruits and vegetables contain more fiber than juice, which lacks the skin and membranes.

Eat liberal amounts of foods that contain unprocessed grains in your diet: whole-wheat products such as bulgur, couscous or kasha and whole-grain breads, cereals and pasta.

Add beans to soups, stews and salads. A couple of times a week, substitute legume-based dishes (such as lentil soup, bean burritos, or rice and beans) for those made with meat.

Keep fresh and dried fruit on hand for snacks.

So many foods contain fiber that it's really not that hard to get your intake up where it should be.

Has anyone ever heard of oatmeal making you constipated? A friend of mine swears that every time he eats oatmeal, it clogs him up. I am looking for evidence to tell him he is dumb, but so far I can't find anything that refutes his claim!

Gee, I don't know. Did you Google it... "Why does oatmeal clog my friend up "

All I have ever heard about oatmeal, is that it is really good for you. Does your friend drink enough water

Unless your friend has a hidden medical problem in the intestines, or wherever, tell your friend that when increasing the fiber content in his diet, it's best to take it slow. Add just a few grams at a time to allow the intestinal tract to adjust, otherwise, abdominal cramps, gas, bloating, and diarrhea or constipation may result. And...

Drink at least 2 liters (8 cups) of fluid daily.

Maybe your friend doesn't drink enough liquids after eating oatmeal, you know, maybe your friend eats 3 bowls of it, and then he's out the door, not drinking any water with it. Then a couple hours later, whoa, .... it clogs him up.

Oatmeal is a rich source of soluble fiber.

Soluble fiber retains water and turns to gel during digestion, it also slows digestion and nutrient absorption from the stomach and intestine, as mentioned in the above post.

Tell your friend that fiber is very important to a healthy diet, and drinking enough water each day is a must. And if your friend still has problems eating oatmeal....maybe he needs to give it up

It sounds like you have to drink a lot of water if you are going to have a high fiber diet!

I eat instant oatmeal almost every day, raw right out of the packet, and it doesn't make me constipated.

Does your friend eat the oatmeal with milk in it? Or drink milk with it? I read that if you have milk with oatmeal it can be constipating for some. Me, on the other hand, I have no problems with it. I love oatmeal and I think it actually helps me go!

Raw? Really? You don't even add hot water to it?

I just tear the pack open and pour a little into my mouth at a time. The flavor powder makes my mouth water more and I just kinda chew it into a normal cooked-like lump and swallow it.

I originally started doing it because I didn't want to dirty a bowl to cook the instant oatmeal. It's just as good that way as it is cooked. Sometimes when it's really cold outside, I'll cook it just so I have something hot to eat.

I'll ask him if he uses milk or water... I don't know!

I put raw oatmeal in applesauce and eat it just like that. Great food source stuff to have around in case we have an emergency disaster.

Raw oatmeal... interesting. I once or twice had oatmeal where I didn't mix the hot water in enough so some parts of the oatmeal didn't get cooked and was still raw... I don't recall liking it! I guess I can understand how some people think it is okay to eat, but I would much rather have it cooked!

I just read recently that you need to make sure you eat your daily fiber intake throughout the day. You DO NOT want to eat your daily recommended amount of fiber for the day all at once. It is good to spread it out! If you don't spread it out, it is more likely to cause more digestive problems.