We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Diet

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

How can I Increase Fiber in my Diet?

By Garry Crystal
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 24,852
Share

There are many reasons to increase fiber in your diet. Eating food with a high fiber content can have many benefits to your general health and well being. Maintaining a diet high in fiber can lower cholesterol, help eliminate heart disease and even lower the risk of cancer. The foods that you eat regularly may already be high in fiber, but there are still ways to help get more fiber.

Including more raw fruit and vegetables in your diet will increase your fiber intake. Dietary fiber can only be found in food made from plants, so increasing your intake of raw fruit, especially the raw fruit peel, will help. For the best results, eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. Fruits that are excellent sources of fiber include berries, pears, apples and prunes. If you want to increase fiber by eating more vegetables, stick to Brussells sprouts, carrots, potatoes and lettuce.

Many digestive complaints, including constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis, can be reduced by adding fiber to the diet. Adding bran and whole-grain products to your shopping list will boost your fiber intake. One of the most popular breakfast cereals to increase fiber is bran flakes. There are also many other cereals that have bran added. Buy some wheat bran from health food stores and add it to your favorite cereal. You can also try bran muffins.

Instead of eating white bread, try whole wheat bread. If you eat a lot of rice with your meals, swap to brown rice instead of white. Beans are an excellent source of fiber, and eating cooked beans once or twice a week will increase fiber intake.

For some people, there are a few side effects from a sharp increase of fiber in the diet. Many people suffer from bloating, stomach cramps or gas when they increase fiber. By starting with small changes and increasing foods that are high in fiber over a period of weeks, these effects can be prevented.

Also remember to increase your fluid intake when you increase fiber. If you are not already drinking at least six to eight glasses of water per day, then you should consider doing so. When you begin to increase your fiber intake, you should raise your water intake by at least two glasses. This will not only aid digestion, but has also been proven to help contribute to weight loss.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
By anon153355 — On Feb 17, 2011

this website is very helpful. From now on, I'll start eating fiber.

By sunflower34 — On Aug 13, 2010

ShowStopper- I take the daily fiber supplement FiberCon. I like this pill because it is easy to take and gives me most of my daily fiber needs. Taking FiberCon promotes healthy digestion and has worked well for me.

By ShowStopper — On Aug 13, 2010

There are also vitamins and daily supplements that you can take to increase your fiber intake. By taking one of these vitamins, you generally get more than half of your daily fiber needs. These supplements can be purchased at most drug stores.

By anon12745 — On May 13, 2008

Is there any good diet for epilepsy, i am suffering from very long?

Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/how-can-i-increase-fiber-in-my-diet.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.