Need help with FIBER

lthur714

Can you help me figure out what kinds of foods that are good that have a lot of fiber? On MFP, I seem to be getting everything I need for my minerals, etc., but gathering from my trips in the bathroom, I could use more fiber. Without having to resort to fiber pills, what do the folk in the community do about this important dietary item?

EvanKeel

Veggies
fruits
beans
nuts
whole grains

Non-starchy vegetables are likely going to be the least calorie-dense option for increasing fiber intake.

MTDDS18

I start the day with a smoothie that typically has a green blend (kale, spinach, chard), almond milk, and whatever fruits I have in my fridge/freezer. I typically get 15g of fiber from this.

Below is my smoothie from this morning, it gave me 293 calories and 15 grams of fiber. It's a great start to the day

Fresh - Kiwi Fruit, Weighed With Skin, 5.67 ounce
Earthbound Farm - Organic Power Greens, 3 oz
Blueberries - Raw, 5 oz(s)
Strawberries, raw, 7.25 oz(s)
Almond Milk - bluediamond, 1 cup

truelight_photo_craig

Read your nutrition labels. Anything over 5 grams is considered to be "high fiber". I use La Bandarita extreme high fiber soft taco sized tortillas instead of bread (9 grams of fiber), or Thomas' light whole grain english muffins (8 grams). Beans are also a high fiber food, but have other bodily effects, if you catch my drift. Lol. I used take a daily dose of Metamucil (5 extra grams of fiber) in the fruit punch flavor, mixed in ice cold water, was tolerable. I generally shoot for at least 25 grams of fiber a day.

RodaRose

Beans, leafy greens, broccoli.

Need2Exerc1se

Breans, peas, lentils, high fiber cereals and breads, some whole grains, fruits and vegetables (to varying degrees). nuts and seeds (also to varying degrees).

I eat a high fiber diet and 2 of my go-to sources are Kellogg's Bran Buds Cereal (only okaa as a cereal IMO, but great in yogurt or on ice cream) and Fiber Gourmet pasta (ultra high fiber, half the calories). I eat pasta several times a week now as part of my weight loss plan.

Kalikel

Fruits and veggies, whole grain breads, some breakfast cereals. If you eat a good amount of fruits and veggies, you'll get your fiber as well as many lovely vitamins and minerals.

chellekoren

I've added chia seeds to my diet. It has protein and 5g of fiber per tablespoon. It makes my yogurt snack or breakfast like oatmeal last longer.

becalee26

I have been snacking throughout the day on fiber one honey clusters that has 10g of fiber along with chia seeds in my morning smoothie. I also have one salad a day. I have always had major constipation issues and this has really helped me.

kimw91

Veggies, fruit and beans I think are my main sources of fiber. And then some muesli, carbs like rice, potatoes, wholewheat pasta etc. of course. I tend to hit around 35+ grams.

healthygreek

Great tips plus drink a lot of water! Too much fiber without enough water is a recipe for constipation!

LKArgh

Vegetables, fruit, beans, whole grains.

AnnPT77

You mention "trips to the bathroom" as an indicator of too little fiber. If you're food logging in MFP, have you checked your fiber consumption? You can do that in the "Reports" tab of the web version - "fiber" is one of the items in the drop-down list.

I ask because I had been having major trouble with constipation (some years back) and was told to take fiber pills. Initially, I didn't realize that this was probably absurd advice to a vegetarian (lots of beans, veg, etc.).

I found, instead, that I needed more water - *much* more water - and more exercise. If you're worried about drinking more water because of more frequent bathroom breaks, work your way up gradually and try to wait just a bit longer to go (not to pain point!); your body is likely to adapt.

Note that you can also be constipated because of endocrine problems (such as hypothyroidism) or not eating enough calories (i.e., eating below a healthy deficit).

BTW, if logging, you can change your diary display to show fiber as one of the columns if you like, replacing one you're less interested in. In the web version of MFP, this is in the "Home" tab, "Settings" sub-tab, "Diary Settings" topic, then change one of the drop-downs in the "Nutrients Tracked" area.

mbaker566

I take two fiber gummies in the morning 5g each and then eat fruits and veggies for the rest.

lemurcat12

Beans, whole grains, avocado, berries, fruits and veggies more generally.

There are two kinds of fiber, and the differences/source of each can get a little confusing, so here's a good source with some recommendations: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/fiber/

Francl27

I'm still confused about how much fiber I'm eating is affecting my poop, honestly, lol! It seems to be completely unrelated in my case, but I still try to reach my goal because it keeps me fuller...

Oatmeal, whole grain bread/pasta, Quest bars, Fiber One stuff, beans, fruit and veggies.

MoiAussi93

People already gave you great suggestions regarding fiber so I won't repeat them. However, it might not be a lack of fiber. Not having enough fat in your diet can cause the same problem.

I was having issues, despite the fact that on most days I got the recommended fiber. When I started eating more fat, things got much much easier.

I can't see your food diary, but your should at least consider whether lack of fat could be part of the problem.

melimomTARDIS

I have a serving of fiber one original cereal every morning, 60 calories, half my fiber goal. Bam! I get the rest from beans, veggies, and " light" breads ( which seem to always have more fiber and protien than normal bread) and the occasional quest bar.

melimomTARDIS

Oh, also drink plenty of water and eat some fat, along with the fiber.

lthur714

Wow....everyone...thanks so much for all these great suggestions! I will consider every one of them!

Strawblackcat

Beans, greens, fruit, whole grains...pretty much anything that your doctor would tell you that you need to eat more of is rich in fiber.

That said, have you looked at your fat intake? Fat acts like the lubricant of the digestive system. Without it, everything really just kind of starts to scrape along. I, for one, know that I have a much easier time in the bathroom the next morning when I eat bacon the day before as compared to just a whole bunch of plain vegetables.

Also, if you're interested in a fiber supplements, I wouldn't recommend Metamucil. Metamucil is psyllium based, which is tough on your colon. It pretty much just absorbs all of the water in your colon to "flush" everything out, which works in the mean time, but your colon can get lazy and begin to depend on it to initiate bowel movements, which wouldn't be fun at all. Not to mention, the "relief" that it brings can be kind of jarring. I recommend acacia fiber instead. It's slower-acting and is much more gentle. I know that from personal experience, I really prefer the acacia over psyllium.