Gastroenterology Consultants,SC: High Fiber Diet Overview  nav to>> [ diets home | low residue diet ] also see: Food Groups That Contain Fiber also see: High Fiber Foods Content Dietary fiber is that part of plant foods that humans cannot digest. It is found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, seeds, and nuts. There are two types of fiber, insoluble. Fiber is an important part of our diet, but the American diet usually contains much less fiber than needed. Increasing the amount of fiber in the diet can help to treat constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (spastic colon), diverticulitis (seen in adults only), chronic nonspecific diarrhea and other disorders. There may be some evidence that fiber can lower your chances of getting colon cancer or heart disease. It is recommended that adults eat 25-35 grams of fiber a day. There are no known recommendations for children. A good high fiber diet should be a balanced diet which includes foods such as grains, vegetables, fruits, meats (or an alternative), and dairy products. No foods are eliminated, but fiber foods should be included in each meal, each day. It is also important to increase the amount of fluid in the diet when on a high fiber diet. There are several groups of foods which contain fiber. Try eat a variety of each of these food groups. Bran can also be added to recipes to increase the fiber content. You can learn to count fiber, just as you can count calories. Then you know you are receiving your fiber goal each day. Lastly, be inventive. You can do things like eat bananas in Cool whip or on top of ice cream, or use crushed Cracklin' Oat Bran as a topping on frozen yogurt. Try to vary your diet so you don't get "burned out" on fiber.   Food Groups That Contain High Fiber back to top Cereal: It is good to start the day with something high in fiber. There are many cereals that have good amounts of fiber in them. To find how much fiber is in a cereal, look at the bottom of the side panel. If the fiber content is not listed, then it is likely very low. A desired amount is 3 grams or more per serving. Some suggestions are: Frosted Bran (tastes like Frosted Flakes) Cracklin' Oat Bran (can also be used a snack by giving it dry) Crunchy Corn Bran Raisin Bran You can also crush and sprinkle some of the very high fiber cereals (such as All-Bran, Fiber One, Bran Buds) on your favorite cereal, or mix them into oatmeal. Breads: Not all brown or wheat breads contain high amounts of fiber. They must contain whole grain, bran or have fiber added. Some breads have the fiber content listed on the side. Look for these breads so you will know how much fiber you are receiving. Vegetables: There is a great difference in the amount of fiber among the vegetable group. For example, 1/2 cup asparagus has 1 gram of fiber, while an ear of corn has 6 grams. For those who do not eat a great variety of vegetables, try topping them with cheese. When eating mashed potatoes, leave on the skin (as is done in some restaurants) because this will provide more fiber, or switch to baked potatoes with the skin. Fruits: Although there is some fiber in the fruit, more fiber will be taken if the skin is eaten. Examples are apples, peaches, and pears. Other foods: There are several foods that have extra fiber. One is a type of granola bar called a FIBAR. It has 4 grams of fiber per bar and comes in such flavors as strawberry, peanut butter, almond crunch, and have vanilla or chocolate coating. There is also a product line called Health Valley that has everything from crackers to cereals. They are usually found in the health food section or diet section of grocery stores. back to top