Dietary fiber, found mostly in whole grains, vegetables and fruits, offers numerous health benefits. Eating a high-fiber diet can help to relieve constipation and irritable bowel syndrome, lower the risk of developing hemorrhoids, aid in weight loss, reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and lower cholesterol levels. The National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine recommends 38 grams of fiber a day for men and 25 grams for women. These requirements decrease after age 51.
Grains
Whole grains include foods made from whole-wheat flour, oatmeal, whole cornmeal, cracked wheat and brown rice. While the number of serving sizes of grains depends on your age, gender and activity level, at least half of all the grain foods you eat each day should come from whole grains. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends three to four 1-oz. servings of whole grains daily for most healthy adults
Vegetables
The vegetable food group includes dark green vegetables, orange vegetables, starchy vegetables, dry beans and peas, and all other vegetables. Vegetables are high in fiber and other essential nutrients, and can be eaten raw or cooked. Even though it is not necessary to eat from every vegetable group each day, you should get the recommended total daily amount of 2 to 3 cups for women and men 19 years old and up. Amounts are based on 30 minutes of moderate activity a day. Although it's important to get a variety of vegetables in your diet, you should eat more dark green and orange vegetables, beans, peas and lentils.
Fruits
Fresh, frozen, canned and dried fruits are other food sources that provide dietary fiber. Eating enough fiber in your diet can help reduce cholesterol and may lower the risk of heart disease. Fiber also plays a key role in proper bowel function. In addition to reducing constipation, eating fruits high in fiber can make you feel full so that you eat less. The average healthy man or woman needs to eat about 2 cups of fruit each day, according to the American Dietetic Association.
Nutrition Facts
Reading food labels can help you determine which foods are good sources of fiber. Look for the serving size and Daily Values. If you are trying to get more fiber in your diet, look for high Daily Values of 20 percent or more. Daily Values are the average percent of nutrients per serving a person consuming 2,000 calories each day would need. According to the American Dietetic Association, high fiber on a Nutrition Facts label indicates that a food contains five grams or more of fiber per serving.
Warnings
The milling process removes the bran, germ, dietary fiber, iron and some B vitamins from white flour and rice. Although most refined grain products are enriched, which means that iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid are added back in, but fiber is not.
Eat whole fruits for fiber. Fruit juices contain little or no fiber.
Avoid adding too much fiber to your diet too quickly, as doing so can cause abdominal bloating and cramping. Increase fiber gradually so that your system has time to adjust to the changes. Drink plenty of water to help keep stool soft and bulky.
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