Is there a ceiling on how much fiber you should eat? I know recommended is 25-35 grams, but I can get in as much as 65 on a regular day. I drink 8-12 oz glasses of water everyday, and I haven't felt any discomfort or anything.
Where are you getting all of your fiber from? I have to admit, I'm a bit jealous - I get 25-30 grams/day...yet, the only time I get more is if I eat Fiber Gourmet Pasta....then I get about 70grams/day...however, that isn't too often as I just purchased the stuff.....
I don't have the answer to your question, but I am most certainly curious!
I eat tons of brown rice, wheat pasta, wheat pitas and breads, crackers, not to mention the 7+ c of vegetables and fruits. I'm a vegetarian, so beans and hummus are also thrown in there. It actually gets easy to eat a lot when you buy nothing but the stuff.. especially when its on sale.
I would think that as long as you are not having any discomfort or GI issues because of it that you should be ok with the amount you are taking in. It might be something to ask your doctor the next time you have a check-up.
Hi heres a laugh for you...
I started taking fiber supplements and two days later I was walking down the hall (I work in a middle school) and each step a took produced a little poof (fart) So picture step - poof, step - poof, step - poof all down the hall. I went home and tossed the fiber. Boy was my face red.
Cat'
Quote:
Originally Posted by gaia2094
Is there a ceiling on how much fiber you should eat? I know recommended is 25-35 grams, but I can get in as much as 65 on a regular day. I drink 8-12 oz glasses of water everyday, and I haven't felt any discomfort or anything.
65 grams?
Well congrats! But I would be afraid to leave my house after that much fiber!!! I wouldn't even know because I have trouble making my 25 g a day
I believe that too much fiber can possibly cause issues with vitamin absorption (since everything goes through you faster.) You are eating lots of veggies though, so it's probably fine.
As long as you don't have any GI problems I wouldn't worry about it.
Since this is a post about fiber, and SkinnyGina, you mentioned having trouble getting to your 25 a day... I have to mention Gnu bars. They are freaking AMAZING! I love the orange cranberry. They have 12 grams of fiber per bar and only like 130 calories...!! They're pricy though, a box of 5 at Whole Foods is marked at $8.99!!! But for whatever reason it did ring up at $6.99. Either way I find them to be pricey.. but nutritionally amazing stats and 2 bars you got your fiber for the day and they taste great. (Not a fan of the brownie flavor though!)
Since this is a post about fiber, and SkinnyGina, you mentioned having trouble getting to your 25 a day... I have to mention Gnu bars. They are freaking AMAZING! I love the orange cranberry. They have 12 grams of fiber per bar and only like 130 calories...!! They're pricy though, a box of 5 at Whole Foods is marked at $8.99!!! But for whatever reason it did ring up at $6.99. Either way I find them to be pricey.. but nutritionally amazing stats and 2 bars you got your fiber for the day and they taste great. (Not a fan of the brownie flavor though!)
I just tried thier sample pack. LOVED the orange cranberry not to crazy about the Chocolate brownie bar.
As to the original question, fiber can interfere with the absorption of nutrients. This is a good for leveling out spikes in blood sugar or potentially reducing the calories absorbed when you are trying to lose weight. But it can also interfere with the absorption of important nutrients like vitamins (as zenor77 said), minerals, and essential fatty acids. It sounds like your diet is high in these good nutrients, but you might want to double check with your doctor to make sure you are absorbing enough of them.
For those seeking sources of mucho fiber, if you have a Trader Joe's near you, check out their selection of whole grain muffins. One brand stands out -- it comes in pomegranate/cranberry and apple/something (I buy the pom/cran). I love them and they are 100 calories per muffin and 13 grams of fiber each! Admittedly, each muffin is a little on the small side, but at least this brand doesn't have to resort to the tactic of defining a serving size as 1/2 muffin.
Oh, and the muffins cost $3.99 per six pack (at least where I shop). I keep them in the freezer (no preservatives) and zap in the microwave for 45 secs when I want one (mmm!).
My issue is that too much fiber (70g+) is causing constipation. I drink a lot too but that isn't helping.
I'm considering adding a magnesium citrate supplement; magnesium oxide hasn't helped even at high doses.
Slimmingsi-if a person eats a lot of fiber, it is common for that person to become very gaseous or have to have diarrhea.
Medicinet.com says, "Fiber is defined as material made by plants that is not digested by the human gastrointestinal tract. Fiber is one of the mainstays in the treatment of constipation though it also may have additional uses such as the treatment of diverticular disease of the colon. Many types of fiber bind to water and keep the water within the intestine. The fiber and water adds bulk (volume) to the stool, and the water softens the stool. Increased gas (flatulence) is a common side effect of high-fiber diets. The gas occurs because bacteria within the colon, unlike the intestine of humans, are capable of digesting fiber to a small extent. The bacteria produce gas as a by-product of their digestion of fiber.
There are different sources of fiber, and the type of fiber varies from source to source. Some types of fiber are digested to a greater extent by colonic bacteria than other types of fiber. The better-digested fiber produces more gas.
All fibers, no matter their source, can cause flatulence; however, since bacteria vary in their ability to digest different types of fiber, different sources of fiber may produce different amounts of gas. To complicate the situation, the ability of bacteria to digest one type of fiber can vary from individual to individual. This makes the selection of the best type of fiber for each individual (i.e., a fiber that improves the quality of the stool without causing flatulence) more difficult. "
The little research I have done (you know the infamous googling and trying to find sources that are not funded by advertising) says that research that showed that when fiber was shown to be effective for weight loss it was consumed in amounts of 30-50g a day. I'm aiming for about 35 which on a 1280 calorie diet I achieve by trying to to get the veggies, fruit and whole grain in - and then to bump it up those extra 4 grams when I'm not making it, I'll spoon in a fiber supplement (using FloraLax right now - a defatted flax, oat bran and psycillium meal - got it on sale and cheap at the Natural Grocers). I tend to go conservative rather than extreme as I've found that too extreme (with anything) throws the body out of whack. And when I lose my balance I will lose it (but not weight!). The recommended RDA I believe is 25 and I also lean towards believing the RDA is minimum only, that optimum will be above their recommendations. That's my two cents for what its worth!
Last edited by bobblefrog; 04-21-2009 at 09:42 AM.
Reason: Misspellings - Oops!
Too Much Fiber?
