ADVERTISEMENT

You might be eating WAY too much fiber

The latter effect is the result of fiber soaking up water and slowing digestion to the point that it causes what Glassman calls a “traffic jam of waste” in your small intestine.

However, like all good things, it's possible to get TOO much of it. And now that it’s being added to foods where you wouldn’t normally find it—like yogurt and diet sodas—under un-recognizable names like polydextrose and inulin, you may not be aware of how high your daily tally actually is.

“When you have too much fiber, it can work against you," says Keri Glassman, R.D. Overdosing on this indigestible plant material can actually strip your body of other essential nutrients as food gets pushed through your system too quickly for your body to absorb vitamins and minerals, and, ironically enough, even constipate you. The latter effect is the result of fiber soaking up water and slowing digestion to the point that it causes what Glassman calls a “traffic jam of waste” in your small intestine. Other side effects of too much fiber at once include bloating and diarrhea. Fun!

If you want to avoid that fate, aim for between 21 and 25 grams of the stuff per day, and try to get it mostly from whole foods. It can be tough—for instance, it’d take 80 baby carrots, or five and a half oranges, or two cups of peanuts to meet that quota—but most whole foods contain a natural mix of soluble and insoluble fiber, and your body needs both. (Soluble fiber soaks up water, slows digestion, and helps manage blood sugar, while insoluble fiber acts like a broom that sweeps through your digestive system.) Beans, legumes, and whole grains like oatmeal are all great sources of both kinds.

ADVERTISEMENT

Functional fibers added to foods may have similar effects, but the jury’s still out. They resist digestion like fiber but don’t have the other nutrients you find in fiber-rich foods, says Glassman. And often, the products they’re being added to aren’t all that healthy to begin with. To make sure you’re not inadvertently gumming up your GI tracts with extra fiber, read labels (here's a guide from the FDA of common culprits), especially when a product makes “added fiber” claims.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng

Recommended articles

The largest snake in the world Ana Julia is dead — unknown gunmen suspected

The largest snake in the world Ana Julia is dead — unknown gunmen suspected

10 sexual benefits of watermelon for men and women

10 sexual benefits of watermelon for men and women

8 sexual benefits of ginger for men and women

8 sexual benefits of ginger for men and women

10 Sex Positions for Super-Deep Penetration

10 Sex Positions for Super-Deep Penetration

What It Feels Like to Use a Butt Plug While Masturbating

What It Feels Like to Use a Butt Plug While Masturbating

11 Ways Men Can Make Their Orgasms Even Better

11 Ways Men Can Make Their Orgasms Even Better

10 latest senator styles for men

10 latest senator styles for men

Why You Should Try Anal Fingering Before Having Anal Sex

Why You Should Try Anal Fingering Before Having Anal Sex

5 Sex Positions to Stimulate Her G-Spot

5 Sex Positions to Stimulate Her G-Spot

Dr Akpa Chidinma of Curvy Girl Essentials champions inclusivity in beauty standards

Dr Akpa Chidinma of Curvy Girl Essentials champions inclusivity in beauty standards

Pocketwatching in Relationships: What it is and how to deal with it

Pocketwatching in Relationships: What it is and how to deal with it

Money or love? Which is the most important in relationships, according to science?

Money or love? Which is the most important in relationships, according to science?

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT