Fiber

How do you get fiber?  I have been averaging 9 grams per day and my nutritionist says I should be getting 25 grams per day.  The problem I'm finding is it is tied to carbs.  So for every gram of fiber I get, I get at least that many grams of carbs.  Even the fiber gummies I'm taking in the morning are 5 grams of each.  Same is true of the supplements I have found.  My carb limit is supposed to be 40 grams.  Any ideas?

Hi Dan - I take fibre capsules every day- I've always had issues with constipation. I take 4 a day which comes to about 8 calories and 2 g carbs - and it's all fibre.  I did;t start taking them until I was 7 months past surgery- up to that point I did gummies, and I worried that the capsules would be too hard on my stomach.

Get non-name drugstore brand.  They really work- take with lots of liquid, which we have to do anyway.  Good luck.

I add 2 tablespoons of benefiber to my daily protein shake.  

Hi Dan,

Since I had my surgery to make sure I would always get fiber in daily and to help with constipation,  I put 2 tablespoons of Bob's Flaxseed Meal in my protein shake daily. It has Fiber-4 grams, Protein-3 grams, and Carbs - 5. This is per serving with is 2 tablespoons. I also eat 1 Nature Valley Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Bar (so good, keep in fridge), 10g Protein, Fiber - 5 grams, Carbs -14. Fruits and Veggies also a good source of fiber. I try to eat a salads a few times a week. Hope this helps.

The FDA lists fiber as a carbohydrate on nutrition labels. So if something has 10g of fiber and no other carbs like sugar, the label will show that it has 10g of carbs. Many people don't count fiber when they're counting carbs. This is the concept of net carbs. If a fiber supplement shows 12g total carbohydrates, 10g fiber, then you would count 2g of carbs towards your total for the day. Not everyone is down with this but it's what I do.

I also believe fiber is overrated from a nutritional standpoint. They used to think it protected against colon cancer, they've since discovered that's not the case. I would question why your nutritionist thinks you need to get 25g a day.

I think I should do some more research.  I talked to her about net carbs and she says it hasn't been proven and to count total carbs.  I have not had problems with anything, I just noticed I was low and she came up with the 25 grams a day thing.  I suppose I need to experiment a little.