Increasing fiber and metamucil

rosebette

Based on the advice of others on MFP, I am now tracking and increasing my fiber. I had always assumed I got plenty of fiber because I eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and only whole grain products, but once I started following it, I am usually way below. So I've started to take Metamucil caps, but it takes 5 caps to get only 2 grams of fiber! I really have to choke the things down. Yesterday, I had 7 gram of fiber left to eat, and I would have had to take 3 doses to get up to snuff! And it wasn't exactly a day where I ate that badly (OK, cheesecake at faculty luncheon, but that's not typical for me), but I had a high fiber cereal with fruit for breakfast, salad and fruit and lunch, and broccoli at dinner, pretty typical day and still way under. Any tips? I also have issues with constipation, so obviously my body's not getting enough. The previous day I had grapefruit for breakfast, salad for lunch, fruit for snack, and broccoli and sweet potato fries for fiber intake. Today I'm putting chia seeds on my cottage cheese.

psuLemon

How much fiber are you aiming for?

conniehgtv

eat barley. Pearled has 6 grams a cup, hulled even more,It is healthy and tasted and is also good for constipation. Good luck. Look for barley soup recipes although I use it like rice.

amelialoveshersnacks

I have a tablespoon of psyllium husk with my breakfast. Works for me

snickerscharlie

I use Flatout Wraps Multigrain with Flax to make my lunch with. Delicious, low in calories and 8 grams of fibre in each wrap. I also use their Foldit version (also with Flax) for burgers. Each one of those has 7 grams of fibre.

http://www.flatoutbread.com/products/flatout-wraps/

oh_happy_day

Here are some high fibre foods which you could work in - pears, parsnips, raw spinach, beans (white, black etc), peas, dried apricots, passionfruit, raspberries.

You could add some passionfruit and raspberries to your morning fruit salad. Add some extra peas and parsnips at dinner. Use baby spinach instead of cos lettuce in salads. Add a few tablespoons of beans to your salads.

Here's a list of the amount of fibre in heaps of different foods: http://www.endoscopy.com.au/high-fibre-diet.htm

ETA - I just went to check my fibre intake. I have a green smoothie as one of my daily snacks - it has 10g of fibre! 1/2 a banana, 1/2 apple, 1/2 pear, some cos lettuce, two handfuls baby spinach, ginger, fresh lemon juice and water.

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Azexas

snickerscharlie wrote: »

I use Flatout Wraps Multigrain with Flax to make my lunch with. Delicious, low in calories and 8 grams of fibre in each wrap. I also use their Foldit version (also with Flax) for burgers. Each one of those has 7 grams of fibre.

http://www.flatoutbread.com/products/flatout-wraps/

I use the flat out wraps too! Love them.

Op: I feel like 5 caps to equal 2g of fiber is a rip off.

Some higher fiber foods are: black beans, Lima beans, split peas, artichokes, peas and broccoli.

rosebette

MFP says I should have around 21 grams a day. Yesterday I had 13, the day before I had only 7 (I had eggs rather than cereal for breakfast). I just bought some of those flatout breads because my supermarket had a two for one sale. Thanks for the tip! Although people think salads have a lot of fiber, there's only 1 or 2 grams for a couple of cups of lettuce, so putting my salad in a high fiber wrap might be a good solution.

misterdale67

amelialoveshersnacks wrote: »

I have a tablespoon of psyllium husk with my breakfast. Works for me

same here

psuLemon

Well if you use protein bars, switch to quest bars. Also, add more veggies.

mbaker566

the gummies are 5g each, so I take two and then eat fiber elsewhere. I get the store brand so they are cheaper

jgnatca

@rosebette I suspect your fiber is perfectly fine. The fiber entries may not be complete for all foods on MFP. I assume you have no problems with regularity?

jgnatca

Oops, should have read the whole thing. Fiber can increase constipation, as annoying as that sounds, especially if you increase your fiber suddenly. Try switching to more soluble fibers, and a little more good oils and see if that makes a difference.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/fiber-health-benefits-11/insoluble-soluble-fiber

noclady1995

Lentils and black beans, raspberries, barley, dried apricots.

jgnatca

Sometimes I think things get slowed down, especially if we are dieting, from lack of volume. High volume low calorie foods like popcorn can help. Popcorn is also high in fiber.

Soluble fiber foods can be bulked up with water or milk which can help too (oatmeal, chia, konjac root).

Emily3907

I am a Miralax girl. I stir it into my iced tea and never taste it. I only use it about 3-4 times a week though. I have had "problems" in the past resulting in multiple surgeries, so my doctor approved it for regular use.