# What foods contain fiber??



## Guest (Sep 6, 2002)

It has been suggested that I add more fiber to my diet. My nutrition education ended with meat, potatoes, veggies, fruit and dairy. I'm not wild about popping any more pills and less enthused about drinking some yucky liquid. I like to eat ... almost anything. So what foods are higher in fiber?


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## Heather Van Vorous (Oct 2, 2001)

Hi - The whole topic of fiber is a bit more complicated than you'd think when it comes to IBS. There are two different kinds of fiber, soluble and insoluble, and they have very different effects on the gut. I've copied some text for you from the website www.firstyearibs.com on fiber.Soluble Fiber ï¿½ The Good GuyHmmmï¿½.Youï¿½ve heard of fiber, youï¿½re pretty sure you know what it is, and youï¿½ve probably had it recommended to you as beneficial for IBS. But soluble fiber? Is this something special? Yes, it is. Soluble fiber is the single greatest dietary aid for preventing IBS symptoms in the first place, as well as relieving them once they occur. Hereï¿½s the kicker. Soluble fiber is NOT typically found in foods most people think of as ï¿½fiber,ï¿½ such as bran or raw leafy green vegetables. Soluble fiber is actually found in foods commonly thought of as ï¿½starchesï¿½, though soluble fiber itself differs from starch as the chemical bonds that join its individual sugar units cannot be digested by enzymes in the human GI tract. In other words, soluble fiber has no calories because it passes through the body intact. Soluble Fiber Foods ï¿½ the Basis of the IBS DietAs a general rule, the grain and cereal foods at the top of this list make the safest, easiest, and most versatile soluble fiber foundations for your meals and snacks.RicePasta and noodlesOatmealBarleyFresh white breads such as French or sourdough (NOT whole wheat or whole grain. Please choose a baked-daily, high quality, preservative-free brand. White bread does not mean Wonder.)Rice cerealsFlour tortillasSoyQuinoaCorn mealPotatoesCarrotsYamsSweet potatoesTurnipsRutabagasParsnipsBeetsSquash and pumpkinsMushroomsChestnutsAvocados (though they do have some fat)BananasApplesauceMangoesPapayas (also digestive aids that relieve gas and indigestion)Why is soluble fiber so special? Because unlike any other food category, it soothes and regulates the digestive tract, stabilizes the intestinal contractions resulting from the gastrocolic reflex, and normalizes bowel function from either extreme. Thatï¿½s right ï¿½ soluble fiber prevents and relieves both diarrhea and constipation. Nothing else in the world will do this for you. How is this possible? The ï¿½solubleï¿½ in soluble fiber means that it dissolves in water (though it is not digested). This allows it to absorb excess liquid in the colon, preventing diarrhea by forming a thick gel and adding a great deal of bulk as it passes intact through the gut.. This gel (as opposed to a watery liquid) also keeps the GI muscles stretched gently around a full colon, giving those muscles something to easily ï¿½gripï¿½ during peristaltic contractions, thus preventing the rapid transit time and explosive bowel movements of diarrhea as well. By the same token, the full gel-filled colon (as opposed to a colon tightly clenched around dry, hard, impacted stools) provides the same ï¿½gripï¿½ during the muscle waves of constipation sufferers, allowing for an easier and faster transit time, and the passage of the thick wet gel also effectively relieves constipation by softening and pushing through impacted fecal matter. If you can mentally picture your colon as a tube that is squeezing through matter via regular waves of contractions, itï¿½s easy to see how a colon filled with soluble fiber gel is beneficial for both sides of the IBS coin. As a glorious bonus here, normalizing the contractions of the colon (from too fast or too slow speeds) prevents the violent and irregular spasms that result in the lower abdominal cramping pain that cripples so many IBS patients. This single action alone is the reason I donï¿½t eat anything on an empty stomach but soluble fiber. Ever. The only foods I want to trigger my gastrocolic reflex are soluble fiber, as thatï¿½s the only way I can keep those contractions (and thus my life) normal. I routinely snack on small quantities of sourdough bread, rice cakes, homemade quick breads (pumpkin, zucchini), bananas, baked corn chips, etc. all day long, every single day. If I donï¿½t have a chance to eat or Iï¿½m not that hungry, Iï¿½ll take some Fibercon tablets or a glass of Citrucel (these are both soluble fiber supplements ï¿½ NOT laxatives). My goal is continual stability, and a steady ingestion of soluble fiber insures this. In the short run this strategy allows me to prevent problems from snack to snack and meal to meal, but in the end it adds up to long-term stability from day to day, week to week, and even month to month. Iï¿½ve never found a better method for completely preventing my IBS symptoms than basing my diet on soluble fiber foods.You can keep your colon stabilized each and every day by basing all meals and snacks on soluble fiber foods. Insoluble Fiber ï¿½ Good or Bad?Both! Hereï¿½s the type of fiber everyone is familiar with ï¿½ bran, whole grains, raw fruits and vegetables (note the exceptions under Soluble Fiber), greens, sprouts, legumes, seeds, and nuts. In short, the healthiest foods in the world, and what everyone should be eating as much of as possible. Right? Well, right, except for one small problem. Insoluble fiber, like fat, is a very powerful GI tract stimulant, and for those of us with IBS this can spell big trouble. Unlike fat, however, you cannot simply minimize your insoluble fiber intake, as this will leave you with a seriously unhealthy diet. Itï¿½s a Catch-22, but the conflict can be solved fairly easily. Insoluble Fiber Foods ï¿½ Eat with CareOnce glance will tell you these are the best (and tastiest) foods around, but your colon simply canï¿½t handle it if you eat them with abandon. You can (and absolutely must) eat them, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat these foods with suitable caution, and youï¿½ll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem. In general, if a plant food (no animal products contain fiber) seems rough, stringy, has a tough skin, hull, peel, pod, or seeds, be careful. This is not a comprehensive list by any means but it should give you the general idea. Whole wheat flour, whole wheat bread, whole wheat cerealBranWhole grains, whole grain breads, whole grain cerealsGranolaMeusli Seeds NutsPopcornBeans and lentils (mashed or pureed theyï¿½re much safer)Berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, cranberries, etc.)Grapes and raisinsCherriesPineapplePeaches, nectarines, apricots, and pears with skins (peeled theyï¿½remuch safer)Apples (peeled theyï¿½re safe)RhubarbMelonsOranges, grapefruits, lemons, limesDates and prunesGreens (spinach, lettuce, kale, mesclun, collards, arugala, watercress,etc.)Whole peas, snow peas, snap peas, pea podsGreen beansKernel cornBell peppers (roasted and peeled theyï¿½re safer)Eggplant (peeled and seeded itï¿½s much safer)CeleryOnions, shallots, leeks, scallions, garlicCabbage, bok choy, Brussels sproutsBroccoliCauliflowerTomatoes (peeled and seeded, especially raw, theyï¿½re much safer)Cucumbers (again, peel and seed them and theyï¿½re much safer)Sprouts (alfalfa, sunflower, radish, etc.)Fresh herbs Never eat insoluble fiber alone or on an empty stomach. Always eat it with a larger quantity of soluble fiber, and you will keep your gastrocolic reflex stable. What does this mean in practical terms? Cook some diced vegetables into a low-fat sauce for pasta, stir-fry veggies into a fried rice, or blend fresh fruit into a smoothie to drink after a breakfast bowl of oatmeal. For fruits, vegetables, and legumes in general, peeling, chopping, cooking, and pureeing them will significantly minimize the impact of their insoluble fiber. Make soups, drinks, sauces, breads, and dips from your veggies and fruits instead of eating them whole and raw. For beans and lentils, cook and blend them into sauces, dips, soups, or spreads - their insoluble fiber is found in their outer skins and their insides are actually rich in soluble fiber. For nuts, finely grind and incorporate them into breads or cakes with white flour, which gives a safe soluble fiber base. For bran and other whole grains, eat them in small quantities following soluble fiber foods ï¿½ have a little whole wheat dinner roll after a big sourdough one, or mix a small amount of fat-free granola into a large bowl of cream of rice or Corn Chex cereal. For raw fruit and green salads, eat them at the end of a soluble fiber meal instead of at the beginning. For all insoluble fiber foods, start with small quantities and gradually increase your intake, making sure you follow the guidelines in the upcoming Day 3 Living section. Iï¿½m confused! How can the same food have insoluble and soluble fiber? Most all grains, cereals, legumes, and tubers have an outer insoluble fiber layer, and a soluble fiber interior (and the same is true for some fruits and vegetables, such as apples and zucchini). Itï¿½s very easy to actually see this with your own eyes. If you take a cooked grain of brown rice, wheat berry, kernel of corn, potato, or bean you can separate the tough exterior (the bran, skin, or shell) from the creamy interior. When the bran is removed from wheat berries and theyï¿½re milled the result is white flour; when the bran is removed from brown rice the result is white rice. There arenï¿½t many similar common commercial processes that remove the insoluble fiber exterior from legumes, fruits, or vegetables, but finely blending, pureeing, or peeling these whole foods will greatly minimize their trigger risk. Wheat in particular causes confusion for many, many people with IBS who are unsure about whether or not it is a safe food for them. There is no flat yes or no answer to this concern because, as weï¿½ve just learned, it depends. Whole wheat, with its outer layer of bran, is high in insoluble fiber. This means that itï¿½s a trigger. Thatï¿½s why whole wheat bread, whole wheat cereals, and bran can cause such awful problems for people with IBS. However, when you remove the bran from whole wheat you end up with white flour (the regular kind you can buy in any grocery store, that you using in baking cookies, breads, muffins, etc.). Though this is still wheat flour, it is not whole wheat flour, and this makes a world of difference. White flour contains no insoluble fiber but it does have soluble fiber, which is the stabilizing force of the IBS diet (just picture the thick gel that results when you dissolve a piece of white bread in a glass of water). This is why white breads are such great safe staples.When you read the ingredients on packaged foods they might not specify if the wheat flour used is ï¿½whiteï¿½ or ï¿½wholeï¿½, but itï¿½s usually pretty easy to tell. For breads, a brief glance will tell you if there is whole wheat in it (youï¿½ll see little brown flakes). If the bread is pure white, like French or sourdough, youï¿½re safe. For most crackers, pretzels, muffins, etc. only white flour will be used. The exception is health food store products, which are likely to use whole wheat. However, they will almost always tout this fact so you wonï¿½t be left wondering. The whole wheat (and other insoluble fiber) intolerances so common to IBS are markedly different from true food allergies. If youï¿½re allergic to wheat, it will make no difference if the grain is left whole or refined by removing the bran. In addition, with many allergies even minuscule quantities of the trigger, whether eaten with other foods or alone, can trigger violent reactions. Fortunately, with IBS this is rarely the case, so we just have to be careful with whole wheat and other insoluble fibers. If we do take care we can easily and frequently eat them in small quantities when theyï¿½re combined with high soluble fiber foods. In addition, with wheat, once the bran has been removed so has the risk of an IBS attack, and this gives us great dietary freedom when it comes to white breads and other refined wheat flour foods. One last thing...the soluble fiber supplements really can work miracles for people. You might try Benefiber, which you can just sprinkle over foods (it's tasteless), then you don't have the pill or liquid to deal with.Best,Heather


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