What does fiber do for your diet?

I know fiber is important, but how?  does it help in weight loss, how much fiber should I have daily?  what are some foods that have fiber.  I eat fiber one and it says that is a daily dose of fiber (18 grams) is this too much?

Fiber helps you feel fuller with no calories. It can help lower cholesterol and it has the all-important job of helping you poop easier!

Hey BMA - Fiber is a very important component.  Like Hk, said, it does help you feel fuller, and helps move the food through the body.  It also helps prevent cancer, and reduces excess "storage" of unneccessary waste. (which can lead to unneccessary waist!  ha ha!)

The recommended amount of fiber is 25g. a day.

However, something to keep in mind - eating fiber is like running the kitchen sink disposal - if you run it without water - you're going to cause a major clog!  So eat fiber-rich foods and drink water with it - every time!

Thanks!  I do drink a lot of water so i think im ok....I try to drink 96-128 ounces a day!

It keeps you feeling full for a lot longer, while keeping your digestive system regular and healthy.  I used to have problems with staying regular when I was younger, and now I eat a bowl of Fiber One Honey Clusters every morning (it has 51% of your daily value of fiber and it actually tastes good!) for breakfast and eat some fruits and vegetables througout the day, and I've been doing so much better!  Not to mention, I snack less, which is always a plus!  Hope this helps :-)

It's supposed to help lower your cholesterol but I didn't see any effect on my last test. It might work if you have an elevated level.

I think the RDA for dietary fiber is 25g F/36g M. In order to get up to 36g I've been using a lot of wheat bran to supplement cooked breakfast cereal. It helps digestion, and bulks up food without adding calories.  

Fiber = Bulk = Stool = Less Bloating = Feeling Good = Flatter Tummy = Makes you Want to Eat More Fiber = Keeps You Fuller = Can Eat More for the Calories! :) 

 

*Get around 25 to 40 grams of fiber a day but... add it slowly or else you may get gassy & bloated! 

It's not the fibre on its own that helps with weight-control and good health.... it's the foods it appears in.   The guideline is to get a minimum of 25g a day (35g if you're male).  You could get that from two bowls of cereal or one big fibre supplement pill but that wouldn't necessarily mean you were getting a healthy diet.   Fresh vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, wholegrain foods and pulses (legumes) are all rich in nutrition and relatively low in calories as well as high in fibre.   If most of what you eat comes from these groups and you keep an eye on the portions then it's generally easier to control your weight and maintain good health.