Food & Recipes

Fiber: How Much Do You Need?

Meal Plan Packed with Fiber

Here is a sample healthy meal packed with nutrients and 37 grams of fiber:

• Breakfast: whole-grain bran flake cereal (5 grams of fiber), half a banana (1.5 grams of fiber), and skim milk.
• Snack: 24 almonds (3.3 grams of fiber) and a quarter cup of raisins (1.5 grams of fiber)
• Lunch: Turkey sandwich made with 2 slices of whole wheat bread, lettuce, and tomato (5 grams of fiber), and an orange (3.1 grams of fiber)
• Snack: Yogurt with half a cup of blueberries (2 grams of fiber)
• Dinner:Grilled fish with a salad of romaine lettuce and shredded carrots (2.6 grams of fiber), half a cup of spinach (2.1 grams of fiber), and half a cup of lentils (7.5 grams of fiber)
• Snack: 3 cups popped popcorn (3.5 grams of fiber)

7 Ways to Add More Fiber

Here are seven more ways to add fiber to your diet:

1. Start your day with a whole-grain cereal that contains at least 5 grams of fiber. Look at the list of ingredients to be sure the whole grain (such as whole wheat, whole rye, or whole oats) is first on the list.
2. Read labels and choose foods with at least a few grams of fiber per serving. A good source of fiber contains 2.5-4.9 grams of fiber per serving. An excellent source has 5 grams or more per serving.
3. Use whole-grain breads with at least 2-3 grams of fiber per slice for sandwiches.
4. Choose whole fruit over juice. Whole fruit can have as much as twice the amount of fiber as a glass of juice.
5. Toss beans into your soups, stews, egg dishes, salads, chili, and Mexican dishes. Substitute beans for meat in at least one vegetarian meal per week.
6. Experiment with international cuisines (such as Indian or Middle Eastern) that use whole grains and beans in main dishes.
7. Make snacks count as opportunities to enjoy foods high in fiber. For instance, snack on raw vegetables with bean dip or hummus.

Common Concerns About Fiber

Worried that boosting your fiber intake will cause gastrointestinal distress? Ease into it.

To avoid bloating, gas, and digestive issues, increase fiber in your diet gradually and drink plenty of water, since fiber absorbs water.

A good rule of thumb is to increase the amount of fiber in your diet by about 5 grams a day until you reach your goal and spread dietary fiber throughout the day.

Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, is director of nutrition for WebMD. Her opinions and conclusions are her own.