How much is too much fibre per day?

powered85
powered85 Posts: 297 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I eat a lot of fruit/veggies/whole grains/nut butter etc. So easily get 50+g of fibre a day. Sometimes higher.

Wondering how much is too much - other than the usual side effects of bloat/gas and ensuring you're getting enough water - what other issues might be caused by too much?

Replies

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,192 Member
    As a fellow fiber-eater (though I probably get more like 40g/day, not 50+), I know of none, but I haven't really researched it intently. I'd never advise someone on a low-fiber diet to go up that high all in one jump, for the reasons you cite. Most people eat too little, though, IMO.
  • powered85
    powered85 Posts: 297 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    As a fellow fiber-eater (though I probably get more like 40g/day, not 50+), I know of none, but I haven't really researched it intently. I'd never advise someone on a low-fiber diet to go up that high all in one jump, for the reasons you cite. Most people eat too little, though, IMO.

    I find it hard not to eat too much! Even the crackers I eat which are the most processed food in my diet - contains quite a bit of fibre.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Generally speaking too much fiber would be when you eat so much that it causes negative side effects or causes you to eat too little of other vital nutrients.
  • powered85
    powered85 Posts: 297 Member
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    Generally speaking too much fiber would be when you eat so much that it causes negative side effects or causes you to eat too little of other vital nutrients.

    That's where I'm going. Can too much cause fatigue if it's causing absorbsion issues etc?
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,192 Member
    powered85 wrote: »
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    Generally speaking too much fiber would be when you eat so much that it causes negative side effects or causes you to eat too little of other vital nutrients.

    That's where I'm going. Can too much cause fatigue if it's causing absorbsion issues etc?

    Are you experiencing fatigue? Excessive calorie deficit, too little (or poor quality) sleep, insufficient iron levels, and various other nutritional issues (I'm not a nutritionist/dietician, so I don't know which ones) would seem like more probable causes than 50g or so of fiber. But I'm basing that only on personal experience and light reading about fatigue.
  • Vegplotter
    Vegplotter Posts: 265 Member
    It's difficult to eat so much fibre if you are a) counting calories and b) eating wholegrain products. But if you are eating products with added bran I'd advise cutting them out. It's the wholegrain in rice, wheat and oats as well as veg that will give you a gentler nutrition. Don't stint on vitamin content of less fibrous fruit and veg as well as protein and fat.
  • dotski2015
    dotski2015 Posts: 3 Member
    I have IBS-C so fiber is my favorite topic. There are two types of fiber - soluble and insoluble. If you eat too much insoluble fiber, or roughage, you will eventually slow down your GI system and get constipated and enjoy all the bloating and discomfort that comes with it. Soluble fiber dissolves and help moves stuff through. It attracts lots of water, so if you're not drinking enough, it may slow things down too. General guidelines are 14 grams of fiber per 1000 calories. I haven't seen a breakdown of soluble to insoluble fiber. Coincidentally my IBS went from D to C when I started using MFP a little over a year ago. I think I loaded up on fiber way too fast, especially the insoluble kind. I was easily getting 40-45 grams per day on 1600-1700 calories. I'm in the process of tapering myself off of fiber to the recommended 20-25 grams, and of mostly the soluble kind. My doc wants to put me on an expensive RX my insurance doesn't cover and I feel I haven't exhausted all possibilities yet. Maybe the MFP developers can add a soluble vs insoluble feature? It would make the premium level every enticing :))
  • powered85
    powered85 Posts: 297 Member
    I'd imagine I get a fairly even mixture of fiber types - but hard to say. Are there any charts out there in terms of what foods have which type and grams broken out?

    I'm averaging in the mid 50's or higher lately. So wondering if I'm getting too much. Feeling pretty sluggish and bloated. Recently I added about 15g daily from whole grain crackers (oat bran ryvitas/finn crisps) per day. So wonder if that might be my source of discomfort?
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,192 Member
    Along with the fiber, to keep your digestive system moving smoothly, you do want to be getting sufficient water (or equivalent) and sufficient fat (from healthy sources, mostly, if possible).

    If you feel like you're getting too much fiber, just seek out nutritious foods you like that have a bit less. Looking over my diary today, some of the relatively lower-fiber things I ate that I regard as nutritious include dairy foods (milk, cheese, Greek yogurt, kefir), eggs and nuts. Meat or fish would be another option, but I don't eat them because I'm vegetarian.

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