People who wanted to lose weight are often advised to take fiber-rich foods, for the reason that they tend to be low in calories. Besides, fiber-rich foods are also high in nutrients and it can make you full for longer. In fact, bulk consumption of fiber slows our digestion and minimize cravings, which is useful if one is planning to lose weight. You may be focusing on options like High Protein Low Carb Bars but you also need to ensure you keep track of your fiber intake.
Fiber is a healthy substance needed in our digestive system and is a vital part of a healthful diet. It also provided many health benefits and helps in weight loss diet. Although fiber is essential to our diet, a common problem is when a person eats too much too quickly. If this was done, several digestive problems can occur. It is important to note that the consumption of fiber must be in the right measurement and spread throughout the day.
The approximate intake of the fiber varies depending on the person’s gender and age. According to the dietary guidelines, the recommended intake should be about 38 grams for adult men that are 50 years and younger. However, for adult men above 50 years old, the fiber intake should be at least 30 grams. Meanwhile, for an adult woman that is 50 years and younger, the required fiber intake is about 25 grams of fiber. For adult women over 50 years old, the recommended measure is 21 grams.
The fiber intake for children is much lower than for adults. For example, for teenagers (aged 14 to 18), the amount of fiber must be between 25.2 to 30.8 grams. Moreover, for those of adolescent age (9 to 13 years old), the requirement is between 22.4 to 25.2 grams. Lower grams of fiber is required in children with an age bracket of 4 to 8, with 16.8 to 19.6 grams. Lastly, for children ages, 1 to 3, 14 grams of fiber is required.
If you’re planning to increase your fiber intake, it is best to be done slowly. Gradually increasing the amount of fiber intake helps the digestive system have time to get used to it. Additionally, consuming too much fiber quickly over a short period of time is not recommended. Eating more than 70 grams of fiber a day is not advised because it can lead to some unwanted effects. It is important to note that everything that is too much is not good for our health.
Some consequences of consuming too much fiber include:
Abdominal Pain, Constipation, Diarrhea
Abdominal pain, alongside constipation and diarrhea, may occur if one person consumes too much fiber. This is because too much fiber can cause your digestive system to slow down or stop. Aside from that, it may also cause a decrease in appetite. There will also be a risk of intestine blockage if one person consumes too much fiber without enough fluid.
Bloating
Too much fiber can also create excess production of gas or bloating. This happens when you consumed too much fiber quickly since most of the fiber won’t be digested as it moves to the GI tract. Consequently, bacteria that live in the colon will digest some of the remaining fiber and could create a gas-by-product.
Mineral Deficiencies
As well as that, too much fiber makes it difficult for the micronutrients to be absorbed since the fiber binds with other minerals. With that, the fiber is then eliminated from the body before the body absorbs it. This most likely affects calcium, iron, zinc, chromium, and copper absorption.
Luckily, there are things you can do to counteract these effects. Below is the list of the things you can do if you’re having a hard time due to consuming too much fiber:
- Drink Water
- Slowly increase your fiber intake
- Balance your diet
- Exercise
- Stop using more fiber-rich supplements
Once you start to feel better, you can now slowly re-introduce fiber-rich foods to your diet. It is best to spread the fiber-rich foods throughout the day, instead of eating them in one meal. Also, it would be best to get your fiber from several foods and not rely on one food source. You can try many types of fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, or whole grains.