Can There Be Too Much Fiber In A Diet

Fiber is found in all plant-based foods and our body cannot digest it, though it is an essential nutrient to maintain good health.

As per American Dietetic Association, daily intake of fiber should be between 25-40g. Most of the people however consume much less than the specified amount in most of the countries except in China, where average fiber intake is 77g per day. The recommended amount of fiber can be obtained from fiber-rich diet including vegetables, fruits and whole grains. It is best to eat the vegetables raw or slightly cooked as cooking destroys their fiber content. And if you are trying to lose weight, you can choose protein fiber diet that provides all the essential nutrients without too many calories.

Disadvantages Of Having Too Much Fiber In A Diet

There are numerous benefits of including recommended amount of fiber in your daily diet but too much fiber in a diet can also cause harm. Fiber carries water out of our bodies and consuming too much of fiber may cause gas, intestinal discomfort or dehydration. If you have too much fiber in a diet, you must increase your water intake, else your stools can become hard resulting in painful and difficult elimination.

Fiber speeds up the movement of food through the entire digestive system. During digestion, iron is absorbed early. If there is too much fiber in a diet, it limits the absorption of calcium, iron and other essential nutrients from food.

Too much fiber in a diet also causes nutritional deficiency in the body as it causes one to feel full much before required nutrients have been taken. As elderly and children usually consume less portion sizes, they are more vulnerable to all these concerns.

It is possible to have too much of anything, and fiber is no exception. No doubt, fiber is an essential element of any diet, but too much fiber in a diet can cause some serious health problems. It is hence important to eat balance meals of vegetables, fresh fruits and whole grains so that your body gets all the essential nutrients.

It is important to increase the dietary fiber intake gradually so that the natural bacteria that are present in the digestive system get used to the change. It is also important to choose variety of soluble and insoluble food sources rich in fiber. As long as you stay within limits, fiber is great.