High Fiber Diet

This diet can provide multiple benefits including decreased risk of cardiovascular risks (such as strokes and heart attacks) as well as risk of diabetes. There is also a suggestion that it might decrease the risk of polyps and colon cancer. It is thought that this diet results in improved symptoms, which is not always true. While this might help with constipation, increased dietary fibers can cause symptoms such as bloating, and symptomatic relief with increased fiber in the diet in constipation is variable.

Things that come to mind when high fiber diet is mentioned do not always have a high fiber content. It is very important to check the actual content of the food to estimate your total intake of fiber, as assumptions of fiber content in food are not accurate.

What Foods Contain Fiber?

Fiber is not digested in the intestinal tract, and usually passes undigested till fermentation occurs in the colon. It provides the bulk needed to form stool volume. Usually it is divided in 2 big categories, water soluble and insoluble fibers. It is hard to guess the fiber content of foods, so we provided below a table with fiber content of common foods.

Benefits of a High Fiber Diet:

• Insoluble fiber (found in some vegetables and in wheat barn) would be very good to increase stool bulk, help with symptoms of the gastrointestinal tract such as diarrhea, and constipation as well as symptoms of hemorrhoids

• Soluble fibers including psyllium is helpful in reduction of heart disease as well as risk of stroke

• In patients with irritable bowel syndrome, high fiber diet has not been shown to be effective in alleviation of symptoms of abdominal pain and this diet is not routinely recommended.

How Much Fiber Do I Need?

The recommended amount of dietary fiber is 25 to 35 grams per day. Adding up the content of fiber in a 24 hours will help give you an idea of how much fiber supplementation or change in your dietary habits you will need.

A table with the content of fiber of common foods is provided below. You can also use over the counter fiber supplements. Be sure however to increase the fiber content slowly as rapid increase might result in symptoms of bloating and abdominal pain.

Fiber Side Effects:

Most side effects are symptomatic related to changes in bowel habits and bloating. No serious side effects are known to be associated with increased fiber intake, however, if significant symptoms developed after increasing fiber intake you will need to discuss that with your provider, and consider further work up.

Benefits From High Fiber Diet: 

This is a list of benefits from high fiber diet: 

• Improves gastrointestinal health: This diet is thought to decrease the risk of polyp formation and colon cancer. It also helps also to normalize bowel habits. 
• Helps with decreasing cholesterol levels. 
• Aids in controlling blood sugar levels. 
• Decreases risks of cardiovascular (heart and blood vessels) as well as cancer related deaths.