Fiber: health benefits supplement with dietary fiber

1. Eat more fiber. You've probably heard this advice before. But do you also know why fiber is so good for your health? Fiber or dietary fiber comes in different shapes and sizes. The Netherlands Nutrition Center recommends eating around 30 to 40 grams of fiber daily. Fiber is mainly found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Fiber is probably best known for preventing or relieving constipation; you will defecate better. But foods containing fiber can also provide other health benefits, such as helping you maintain a healthy weight and lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Selecting tasty foods that provide a lot of fiber is not difficult. Yet many people fail to get the necessary amount of fiber on a daily basis. In that case, a supplement with fiber can help.

How much fiber do you need per day?

1. The Nutrition Center advises to eat around 30 to 40 grams of fiber per day. A 50 gram wholemeal bun contains about 3.8 grams of fiber. A 45 gram rye bread contains 3.7 grams of fiber. A plate of oatmeal

Tips to get more fiber

1. All of a sudden (too) much fiber Be careful about increasing the amount of fiber you eat overnight. If you suddenly start eating a lot of fiber while previously eating little fiber, you can experience gas, flatulence, bloating, diarrhea, intestinal cramps and stomach cramps, as your gut bacteria try hard to handle the sudden supply of a lot of fiber. These problems disappear after a while as your digestive system gets used to the higher fiber levels, but you can avoid them by gradually adding extra fiber to your diet. For example, try adding a serving of high-fiber foods to your daily diet for a week and then see how your body responds. After that, give yourself another week, if necessary. If all goes well, add some high-fiber foods to your diet every day. Continue this pattern until you reach your daily quota of fiber.

2. All of a sudden (too) much fiber Be careful about increasing the amount of fiber you eat overnight. If you suddenly start eating a lot of fiber while previously eating little fiber, you can experience gas, flatulence, bloating, diarrhea, intestinal cramps and stomach cramps, as your gut bacteria try hard to handle the sudden supply of a lot of fiber. These problems will go away after a while as your digestive system gets used to the higher fiber levels, but you can avoid them by gradually adding extra fiber to your diet. For example, try adding a serving of high-fiber foods to your daily diet for a week and then see how your body responds. After that, give yourself another week, if necessary. If all goes well, add some high-fiber foods to your diet every day. Continue this pattern until you reach your daily quota of fiber.