Fiber intake is a delicate balance.
What are the symptoms of hyperfiber?
The recommended daily fiber intake is 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams per day for men. However, some experts estimate that as many as 95% of the population will not consume that much fiber.
While it may seem like most people aren't meeting their recommended fiber intake, it's actually possible to consume too much fiber, especially if you increase your fiber intake very quickly. Too much fiber can lead to:
- Bloating
- Abdominal pain
- Flatulence
- Loose stools or diarrhea
- Constipation
- Temporary weight gain
- Intestinal obstruction in patients with Crohn's disease
- Lower your blood sugar levels, which is important to know if you have diabetes
If you feel nauseous, vomiting, high fever, or are completely unable to defecate or defecate, call your doctor immediately.
How do relieve the symptoms of excess fiber?
If you're consuming too much fiber and experiencing symptoms of too much, try the following to help counteract these effects:
- Drink a lot of water.
- Discontinue use of any fiber supplements.
- Avoid high-fiber foods.
- Eat a light diet.
- Remove fiber-rich foods from your diet.
- Look for foods that contain substances such as inulin and chicory root extract.
- Do as much minor physical activity as possible, such as walking.
- Consider recording your food intake online to help you understand how much fiber you are consuming each day.
- If you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), consider following a low FODMAP diet. This temporary diet can improve symptoms by removing fermentable fiber foods from the diet.
Once you start to feel better, you should slowly reintroduce fiber-rich foods into your diet. Instead of eating fiber-rich foods in one meal, spread them out throughout the day. It's best to get fiber from a variety of foods, so don't rely on any one food or source. Target a wide range of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts.
What is the optimal amount of fiber to consume per day?
The recommended minimum daily fiber intake depends on your gender and age.
Adult fiber intake
Adult (50 years old or below) | Adult (over 50 years old) | |
man | 38 g | 30 g |
female | 25 g | 21 g |
Fiber intake in children and adolescents
Daily fiber intake | |
|---|---|
Children between 1 and 3 years of age | 19 g |
Children between the ages of 4 and 8 | 25 g |
Children between the ages of 9 and 13 | 26 g (female), 31 g (men) |
Adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18 | 26 g (female), 38 g (men) |
Consuming more fiber than the recommended daily intake can lead to the adverse symptoms listed above.
How does fiber affect your digestion?
There are two main types of fibers. Each type of fiber plays a different role in digestion:
- Insoluble fiber increases the volume of stool, helping food pass through the stomach and intestines more quickly. It also helps balance the pH in the intestines and can prevent diverticulitis, intestinal inflammation, and colon cancer.
- Soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a gelatinous substance with food as it is digested. This, in turn, slows down digestion and helps you feel full faster, which is important for weight management. It may also help reduce the risk of heart disease, regulate blood sugar, and help lower LDL cholesterol.
Fermentable fibers can come from both categories, but more commonly soluble fibers are fermented. Bacterial fermented fiber helps to increase bacteria in the colon, thus aiding digestion. It also plays an important role in human health.
What are the benefits of fiber?
While too much fiber can have a negative impact, the right amount of fiber is important for your health. Fiber is essential for functions such as regular bowel movements, cholesterol and blood sugar management, healthy gut bacteria, and prevention of chronic diseases.
50 grams of fiber per day in people who regularly eat a high-fiber diet, as in rural South Africa, the incidence of chronic diseases such as colon cancer is low. This is in stark contrast to the much higher risk of colon cancer in African Americans on a high-fat diet that consumes only about 15 grams of fiber per day.
What is the best way to get fiber?
In general, getting fiber from the foods you eat is better than getting it from supplements. This is because high-fiber foods also contain important vitamins and minerals that your body needs to stay healthy.
Soluble fiber
- Oats
- Brussels sprouts
- Beans
- Peas
- Apple
- Orange
- Nuts
- Flax and other seeds
Insoluble fiber
- Wheat bran
- Vegetables such as green beans and dark leafy greens
- Rhizome vegetables such as carrots, beets and turnips
- Fruit peel
- Whole grains
Taking fiber supplements called wheat dextrin, inulin, psyllium, and methylcellulose is an alternative way to get soluble fiber, although food is always best for your body and gut bacteria.
Buy fiber supplements online.
Fermentable fiber
- Oats
- Barley
- Jerusalem artichoke
- Chicory root
- Leeks
- Onions
- Bananas
Read further to learn about foods to avoid if you have IBS.
summary
Fiber intake is a delicate balance. While too much is better than too little, you need to be cautious. Try not to make any drastic sudden changes to your fiber intake.
If you feel constipated and want to increase your fiber intake to help relieve symptoms, add a few grams of fiber to your diet each week from a variety of foods. Take a fiber supplement only if you think you are not getting enough fiber from the foods you eat. Always make sure you also drink enough water to avoid constipation or indigestion.
If you think you're consuming too much fiber and limiting your intake isn't helping your symptoms, see a doctor. When in a doctor's office, consider asking the following questions:
- How do I know how much fiber is contained in a particular food?
- Could my symptoms be caused by consuming too much fiber?
- Should I take a fiber supplement every day?
- How do I properly take a fiber supplement?
- How quickly should I increase my fiber intake?
If you experience nausea, vomiting, high fever, or complete inability to defecate or have a bowel movement for more than a few days, seek medical attention as soon as possible.