High-fiber foods

Dietary fiber - self-care; Constipation - fiber

Dietary fiber adds bulk to your diet. Because it makes you feel full faster and for longer, it can help you control weight.

High fiber diets can also help with constipation.

Slowly increase the amount of fiber in your diet. If you have bloating or gas, you have probably eaten too much and need to reduce the amount of fiber you eat for a few days. Drink plenty of fluids. When you increase fiber in your diet, you also need to get enough fluids. Not getting enough fluids may make constipation worse instead of better.

The daily recommended intake (DRI) for adults 19 to 50 years old is 38 grams a day for men and 25 grams a day for women. To get more into your diet, eat different types of foods, such as:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Whole grains

Read food labels carefully to see how much fiber they have. Choose foods that have higher amounts of fiber, such as whole-wheat bread versus white bread.

Vegetables are a good source of fiber. Eat more:

• Lettuce, Swiss chard, raw carrots, and spinach
• Tender cooked vegetables, such as asparagus, beets, mushrooms, turnips, and pumpkin
• Baked potatoes and sweet potatoes with skin
• Broccoli, artichokes, squashes, and string beans

You can also get more fiber by eating:

• Legumes, such as lentils, black beans, split peas, kidney beans, lima beans, and chickpeas
• Nuts and seeds, such as sunflower seeds, almonds, pistachios, and pecans

Fruits are another good source of fiber. Eat more:

• Apples and bananas
• Peaches and pears
• Tangerines, prunes, and berries
• Figs and other dried fruits

Grains are another important source of dietary fiber. Eat more:

• Hot cereals, such as oatmeal and farina (Cream of Wheat)
• Whole-grain breads
• Brown rice
• Popcorn
• High-fiber cereals, such as bran, shredded wheat, Grape Nuts, Ry Krisp, and puffed wheat
• Whole-wheat pastas
• Bran muffins