Too much fiber?

Hey guys! So, I've had about 1,650 calories today...but 46 grams of fiber. >_> Air popped popcorn, lentil soup and wheat bread will do that.

My question is, is this bad for me? I've had about 2 liters of water today (my normal amount) but I'm afraid it'll make me constipated. (Sorry if that's TMI!) I know a high-fiber diet is healthy, but THIS high? Thanks for the advice!

You hit the nail on the head.  The more fibre you eat, the more water you have to drink, as the fibre absorbs some water in the intestines as it passes through, so if there isn't much water there to absorb, your stool becomes firmer and then you get constipated.   So long as you aren't constipated, you are fine.  I usually eat 30-50 grams of fibre a day and I've never had any problem.

research shows that our ancestors were capable of eating up to 100 grams of fiber per day because of their diet (which constited of lots of vegetation/ruffage/berries) so it is okay to eat lots of fiber, the human body is capable of handling it... and a good intake of fiber it's actually very benefial for you. Just make sure to drink a lot of water, to prevent any *ahem* "discomfort" (ie: bloating, constipation, blockage..)

I usually eat AT LEAST 35 grams of fiber a day... but I also drink over 4L of water/coffee/tea to help all that fiber along... I don't have any problems

how do you feel today? it's been ~24 hours, right?

like the two posters above me, i also eat a lot of fiber, mostly from fresh vegetables and fruits, and whole grains. i think if you're looking to up the fiber you'll want to do it slowly, but once your digestive tract gets used to it there should be no problem - high fiber is better than no fiber!

i get 30-50g a day most days, don't drink a lot of water unless it's after cardio, and am just fine and regular :) hope this helps!

I hear too much fiber can result in a poor absorption of nutrients in the intenstines.  I'm not sure at what amount it becomes a huge problem, though.

hello, i am a nursing student and ive had to study this stuff, from what i have learned about nutrience and our lovely digestive system is that fiber is non-digestible.

fiber in our bodies is known as "bulk-forming matter" our body is quite efficient at absorbing the amount that our body needs, the rest just gets passed through our stools. depending on the color of your stool you will be able to tell if your getting enough fiber or not.. anyways when you eat too much fiber your digestive system kind of goes out of whack, our class was encouraged to try this experiment out, and it was to eat as many grapes as possible and see what happens. grapes and celery are high

in fiber, just like pretty much every fruit n vegetable out there. what happens is you get very cramped, and gassy.. resulting in very soft stools, or diarrhea.

so don't be alarmed if you take in too much fiber, your body will definitely let you know, especially if you are not used to taking in that much. however if you feel really bloated or fatigue my best advice is to try and exercise it off, to speed your metabolism and pass the fiber out quicker. 

but in case your wondering, fiber does not get you fat or cause any harm, just some minor discomfort when ingesting too much. ;)

Original Post by bambii:

grapes and celery are high in fiber

 celery yes.

grapes NO!!

who told you grapes are high in fiber? grapes are very low in fiber, for one serving of grapes you only get about 1-2 grams of fiber. Which is pretty low since there's about 20 grams of sugar and over 60 calories to get those couple measly grams of fiber

check out the nutrition profile

I'm feeling alright...been a bit gassy, but I'm drinking extra water so things are still moving. I can't help my high fiber, fibery food is so tasty!

*goes to have another bowl of lentil soup*

Original Post by bambii:

hello, i am a nursing student and ive had to study this stuff, from what i have learned about nutrience and our lovely digestive system is that fiber is non-digestible.

fiber in our bodies is known as "bulk-forming matter" our body is quite efficient at absorbing the amount that our body needs, the rest just gets passed through our stools. depending on the color of your stool you will be able to tell if your getting enough fiber or not.. anyways when you eat too much fiber your digestive system kind of goes out of whack, our class was encouraged to try this experiment out, and it was to eat as many grapes as possible and see what happens. grapes and celery are high

in fiber, just like pretty much every fruit n vegetable out there. what happens is you get very cramped, and gassy.. resulting in very soft stools, or diarrhea.

so don't be alarmed if you take in too much fiber, your body will definitely let you know, especially if you are not used to taking in that much. however if you feel really bloated or fatigue my best advice is to try and exercise it off, to speed your metabolism and pass the fiber out quicker. 

but in case your wondering, fiber does not get you fat or cause any harm, just some minor discomfort when ingesting too much. ;)

 Check out this about.com article on the difference between soluble and insoluble fiber:

http://adam.about.com/reports/Soluble-and-ins oluble-fiber.htm

And here's an article that names the types of foods that have soluble vs. insoluble fiber:

http://nutrition.about.com/od/foodfun/a/high_ fiber_food.htm