I used to think fiber was a good thing, but it didn't seem to make me feel very well. After some research, I found the recommendation for the amount of fiber suggested came from a single observational study of a population group that had very little disease but ate a lot of fiber. When looking closer, there were MANY things they were doing and eating differently - i.e. no processed food, regular exercise, etc.

Then I found this study:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3435786/

I did my own experimentation and by increasing my fiber by doing things like adding chia seeds into my regular diet and low and behold, I became constipated and bloated. I also tried fiber supplements with the same result. I seem to do well having naturally occurring fiber in things like spinach, Swiss chard, etc., but I get no where near the recommendations now but am no longer bloated or constipated. Because I eat no processed carbs at all, about half of my carbs end up being fiber, but that is still only about 15-20 g a day from things like greens, peppers, broccoli, and occasionally some nuts like almonds or walnuts. I do try to limit the nuts, though, because it is just too easy for me to overeat those.

By comparison, I am a 48 yo male. Formerly 223 lbs and diabetic. Now 178 lbs and in better shape than when I played football in high school.

If you aren't into reading scientific papers, here is a video on fiber from a doctor who references this study along with some others regarding fiber.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqUO4P9ADI0

How much fiber is recommended is just another example of a wild guess not based on any actual rigorous science.
I had been told my entire life to eat high fiber since I’ve had digestive problems since I was a child. I followed that advice including taking supplements. I never had any real improvement in my condition.
To my surprise, completely eliminating fiber resolved all of my digestive issues completely.

Just a random thought....supposedly we need fibre to help feed our healthy gut biome. BUT, I do wonder if it's 'chicken & egg.' Which came first, the added vegetable/fruit fibres which needed a gut bacteria to rid our bodies of it, or did we have the gut bacteria first and needed to feed it with fibre?

mrvivinwales wrote: »

I find it very confusing, I now have at least 30g of fibre a day, and I no longer have constipation and neither do I have bleeding haemorrhoids, so maybe it's good for some and not for others. PS thank you all for your input

I really do believe people are all different in this regard. Some need more fiber than others. And a few do badly with any.

One of the benefits of feeding the gut bacteria is they make short chain fatty acids - particularly butyrate that is beneficial in feeding the gut lining, which is nearly identical to beta-hydroxybutyrate and one would have in their circulating blood if one is producing ketones thereby feeding those same cells just from the other direction.

Of course, people are different in lots of ways. This is just one. The purpose of my first response was just to point out to not take the conventional wisdom as fact. After all, it comes from the same people that told us fat will kill us and sugar is safe.

Tigs63 wrote: »

I’m so glad for this discussion. I’m a low carb, gluten free, vegetarian and adding another goal of 30g of fiber has been impossible. Now I’ll take that out of my goals! Maybe quit eating chia seeds, too.

Haha! We need a (laughing face) icon besides just the thumbs up. Those chia seeds get everywhere! I find them hours later in my teeth! Ack!