high fiber

jenniferozzy

hi all, ive been listening to all sorts of podcasts on how to increase fiber intake but oh my gosh im finding it so hard! i used to be terrible at protein but ive sorted that now but has anyone any tips on getting 30g of fiber a day? im barely getting to 12g! im 45 and will eat whatever but it needs to be tasty. ive been thinking of trying all bran for breakfast, 40g portion is about 12g of fiber, so thats a good start but need lunch and dinner ideas :)

AnnPT77

I average 40-50g of fiber per day. Most common sources: Various veggies, beans, flax seed, berries, apples, oatmeal, whole grain bread/wraps, prunes, other varied fruits. I eat lots of veggies and fruits . . . really lots, like a bare minimum of 400g (close to a pound) every day, and often a kilo (2.2 pounds) or more. I don't know whether you think those are tasty, but I sure do.

Whatever you do, I'd strongly recommend increasing fiber gradually. A big jump tends to cause some form of digestive tract distress: Gassiness, constipation, diarrhea, who knows what.

neanderthin

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10938905/high-fiber

There is no RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for fiber and the AI (Adequate Intake) is based on the data of people answering food frequency questionnaires which is purely observational and opinion which has by definition hundreds of confounders, basically it's an educated guess at best.

The benefits of fiber are significant in a specific context which is when replacing the food in the SAD (Standard American Diet) which is a really important factor to keep in mind but also invites other questions for people that already engage in a healthy lifestyle, including their diet and may still be short of the AI, doubt maybe.

Personally I believe that nutrition messaging, especially strong directives like "eat lots of fiber," can sometimes lead to bad thought, food anxiety, obsessive eating behaviors, negative relationships with food, and blame, which can be really destructive with the constant questioning if we're eating the right food in the right quantity at the right time, yeah self doubt and guilt is not good, especially in the context of the rest of our lives.

If we just look at it logically "eat lots of fiber" is really conveying the message to consume more "whole foods" and this will by default increase fiber. It makes much more sense to promote "whole foods" rather than isolating a single nutrient "fiber" and possibly increasing the tendency for micromanaging and end up in situations like the ones I described above.

In that context from a personal perspective that does consume a whole food diet which happens to be a ketogenic diet my fiber intake is decent, I eat a lot of veg, berries and avocado's for example but it certainly wouldn't be anywhere enough to conform to the AI. Would a vegan or vegetarian have something to say, sure, but I'm not vegan or vegetarian so you have to stay in context as it relates to you. Am I worried that my fiber is insufficient apparently, not in the least based on the science and my IBS and overall gut health that has improved drastically, so there is that conundrum. Basically what I'm saying is if your consuming mostly a SAD diet and lots of junk food and your making a concerted effort to change that then I think that is more important than fixating upon a single nutrient that is basically just a best guess anyway, there is no exact AI, everyone will have a different capacity and need with considerably different outcomes based on their existing health etc. don't stress over it too much, is what I'm trying to say because there is no definitive answer.

GentleStreamFern

I like eating pre-washed power greens or romaine, sliced bell peppers, celery, and carrots. Also, berries, apples and pears. I'm changing from french bread to multigrain.

Corina1143

I agree with Neanderthin. Fruits and veggies are good. Fruit and veggies have fiber. Eat fruit and veggies. Forget fiber. It will come naturally with eating healthier. And that's coming from a person who eats Fiber One cereal almost daily. I like it on my yogurt and fruit nighttime meal/snack for crunch without sugar (much sugar).

200Karen

I enjoy Fiber One cereal though I won’t say it’s tasty.

J72FIT

Fruit and veg. High fiber cereal. Whole grains and oats. Beans and legumes (peas in particular are great). Barilla makes a protein plus pasta which is great as well. If all else fails, psyllium husk…

GLC1962

Try switching to Keto breads, they generally use more fiber in the ingredients in place of the processed flours.

I've switched to Keto tortillas that have 19 g of carbs but 17 of that is fiber for blood glucose reasons.

AnnPT77

One afterthought: Recent microbiome research hints that a diverse microbiome is a useful thing. Different gut microbes may require different prebiotics - including diverse fiber types - to thrive.

It seems reasonable to conclude that diverse fiber-containing foods in one's diet would be ideal.

There have been a few people here relying on a supplement like Metamucil or psyllium husk for the majority of their fiber intake. Though it may be better than getting no fiber, that's probably a less than optimal strategy.

Relying heavily on processed foods that have added ingredients just to boost fiber, there's also potential of getting much of one's fiber from a small range of fiber types. Yet another reason to read ingredient lists, maybe?

J72FIT

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48622884#Comment_48622884

100%

J72FIT

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48612725#Comment_48612725

It's kinda like a multi-vitamin. A good multi can be a good supplement to fill potential gaps, but it won't fix a *kitten* lifestyle and diet…

neanderthin

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48622938#Comment_48622938

Yeah, that's a decent analogy. Fiber on the hierarchy of importance when it comes to the microbiome is no where near the top, but it's something that's easy to communicate and because it's said so often without any other context it becomes a truth and to a fault where people start using fiber supplements which is no where near as good and the cascade of events when we eat real food with it's synergetic effects throughout the whole body is never achieved.

Psyllium husk for example lacks essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants or water, protein, and fat, which help with nutrient absorption and keep you feeling full longer, basically bulk without the satiety as well as the lack of any real nutrition, or support a more diverse gut microbiome, and just acts as a bulk-forming laxative basically. Yeah the word fiber should be expunged from the lexicon and replaced with whole food. lol, yeah I know.

Reality is a microbiome can operate quite efficiently not only with very little fiber but without it completely and at the same time no discussion about the damage sugar causes to the microbiome, which is vast and quite destructive.

Christforevergenesis

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10938905/high-fiber

hey I have been having trouble getting in enough fiber too lately. I think I’m going to attempt by adding some chia seeds to some dishes. They are impressively versatile; you can make overnight oats with them, top them in smoothies, and add to many other meals and snacks. They have about 10 grams of fiber per serving (which is about 2 or 2.5 tbsp, which is about 30 grams).