10 Tips on Dietary Fiber

10 Tips on Dietary Fiber

1. Keep in mind that a high-fiber diet may tend to improve:
   • Chronic constipation
   • Coronary heart disease
   • Hemorrhoids
   • Diabetes mellitus
   • Diverticular disease
   • Elevated cholesterol
   • Irritable bowel syndrome
   • Colorectal cancer
2. Try to double your daily fiber intake.
   • Average American intake: 10-15 grams per day
   • Recommended intake: 20-35 grams per day
3. Understand what fiber is, where it comes from:
   • Insoluble fiber
     • Cereals
     • Wheat/wheat bran
     • Whole grains
   • Soluble fiber
     • Brans
     • Fruit
     • Oatmeal/oat bran
     • Psyllium
     • Vegetables
4. Substitute high-fiber foods for high-fat and low-fiber foods.
5. Keep your daily fiber intake stable. Consider a fiber supplement if you:
   • Travel
   • Eat away from home often
   • Find it difficult to get enough fiber through food choices alone
6. Don’t shock your system: Increase fiber levels in your diet gradually.
7. Always increase fluids (water, soup, broth, juices) when you increase fiber.
8. Add both soluble and insoluble fiber, from a variety of sources.
9. Compare fiber content of foods:
   

   Grams of Fiber
   Bowl of thick vegetable (minestrone) soup	1

10. Choose foods high in fiber content.
    

    Fruits and Vegetables Highest in Fiber Per Serving
    Fruits Artichokes Apples, pears (with skin) Berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries) Dates Figs Prunes	Vegetables Beans (baked, black, lima, pinto) Broccoli Chick-peas Lentils Parsnips Peas Pumpkin Rutabaga Squash (winter)

    Other Good Fiber Choices

Eating high-fiber foods is a healthy choice for most people. If you have ever received medical treatment for a digestive problem, however, it is very important that you check with your doctor to find out if a high-fiber diet is the right choice for you.