Diet-HighFiberDiet

High Fiber Diet

What is fiber?

Fiber is part of food that is resistant to digestion and absorption. Fiber helps prevent constipation

by providing bulk in the diet and may be helpful in preventing many gastrointestinal conditions.

Why is fiber important to include in your diet?

Fiber can absorb up to 30 times its own weight in water. The body doesn’t actually absorb fiber.

It adds bulk and texture to the stool as it passes through the body, keeping your system regular.

Because of this we recommend fiber for the treatment or prevention of many digestive tract

problems, including hemorrhoids, diverticular disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and cancer.

Fiber keeps your stools from becoming either too loose, or dry and hard. If you suffer from

diarrhea, fiber may “slow you down.” If you have difficulty with constipation, fiber may “speed

you up.” It may actually “normalize” bowel activity.

What are good sources of fiber?

Dietary:

•

Whole grains and breads

•

Beans and peas

•

Nuts and seeds

•

Vegetables and fruits, especially those with skins and seeds

Additives:

Psyllium, Methylcellulose, or Polycarbophil (as in Benefiber, Citrucel, Fibercon, Hydrocil,

Konsyl, Metamucil)

How should fiber be added to the diet?

Add fiber to your diet slowly to prevent feeling “bloated” and “gassy”.

Choose the following more often:

•

Whole grains breakfast cereals - see next page

•

Whole wheat bread and other products made with whole wheat flour, such as whole grain

crackers and whole grain pasta

•

A variety of vegetables, such as carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage,

potatoes, celery, green beans, yams, squash and greens

•

Beans and spilt peas

•

Nuts, seeds and popcorn

•

A variety of fruit, such as apples, bananas, grapefruit, oranges, peaches, pineapple and

plums

•

Unfiltered fruit and vegetable juices

•

Whole wheat bread and other products made with whole wheat flour, such as whole grain

crackers and whole grain pasta

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Citrus Fruit or Juice - ½ Soup Meat, Poultry or Fish

cup Meat or Meat Substitute Potato or brown rice-

High fiber Cereal -½ - 1

Vegetables -1-2 servings ½ cup

cup Raw Vegetables salad Vegetable- 2 serving

Whole Grain Toast - 1 Whole Grain Bread - 1-2- slices Salad

Slice Fruit - ½ cup Fresh Fruit- ½ cup

Butter or Margarine - 1 Milk - 1 cup Beverage

teaspoon

Milk - 1 cup

High Fiber Cereal: a great way to start – look at the following fiber content and compare with

Cheerios – 1 cup = 2 grams fiber. Fiber One ½ cup = 14 grams; Kellogg’s 100% Bran ½ cup =

13 grams; Kashi 1 cup = 12 grams; Post 100% Bran 1/3 cup = 9 grams; Post Raisin Bran 1 cup =

8 grams. Oatmeal 1 cup = 8 grams.

If you are lactose intolerant and cannot drink milk, try “rice milk”, soymilk, or lactaid pills.

Vegetables: Portion Grams Fiber Fruit:Portion Grams FiberBeans (kidney) ½ cup 5.5 Apple Small 2.8

Beans (lima) ½ cup 4.4 Banana Medium 2.0

Bread-wheat Slice 2.0 Orange Small 3.0

Broccoli ¾ cup 5.0 Peach Medium 2.0

Carrots (raw) 4 sticks 1.7 Watermelon Thin slice 2.8

Green Beans ½ cup 2.1

Green Peas ½ cup 3.0 Note that vegetables have more fiber and usually

produce less gas since fruit has fructose sugar in

Corn Small 3.0

it. Taking Beano capsules until the body is used

Potato Small 4.2

Rice (brown) ½ cup 5.5

to them may reduce gas from vegetables.

Fiber supplements: one dose of powder forms of supplements supply 3-5 grams of fiber. Six pills

supply 2.4 grams of fiber. There are 3 basic types:

• Psyllium such as Metamucil is a plant material works by breaking down in the gut and

becoming a food source for the “good bacteria” there. Psyllium does contain calories and

may cause gas.

• Methylcellulose such as Citrucel is a fiber that is non-allergenic, non-fermentable and is

created from the cell wall of plants.

• Polycarbophil such as Fibercon is created from plants and is not absorbed by the body. It

absorbs water in the intestinal tract and creates a bulkier and softer stool. Polycarbophil is

less likely to cause bloating. All three can be used long term.

There is no question that adequate fiber is necessary for good health. Consumption of 20 to 40

grams of fiber per day is possible from food sources alone. However, it is recognized that in the

U.S. the average fiber intake is less than 15 grams per day. In light of average intake, fiber

supplements are often recommended.