Getting the right amount of fiber in your diet is paramount to your health; fiber has many health benefits but one really important one is the quality of your bowel function.  Correct bowel function allows you to absorb the nutrients you need to retain good health; it also helps prevent bowel diseases such as IBS, diverticulitis, and bowel cancer.  The definition for dietary fiber has not yet been established by the WHO (World Health Organisation), however they do express dietary fiber as nonstarch polysaccharides (NSP), which can be obtained through the consumption of whole-grain cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables.  The WHO states that fiber can prevent obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and various cancers.  They recommend a daily consumption of 25g of dietary fiber. 

A high grain diet is associated with high insulin levels, if you are to eat grains the use whole grains but my recommendation is to get most of your fiber from fruit and vegetables rather than relying on grains.  People that would benefit from avoiding grains include anyone who is:

• Overweight
• Has high blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes 

If you have any of the conditions above you are better off avoiding grains all together, if you don’t have those conditions then having a small amount of whole grains is okay, limiting it to one serving a day.

To get the correct amount of fiber in your diet, here is a table of the quantity of fiber in food, also look at the labels on your food as they state the fiber content. Women should get al least 21-25g per day while men 30-38g per day.

* fiber content can vary between brands

In order to get your daily fiber intake you need:

1 cup of oatmeal – 4g

1 banana – 3.1g

1 apple – 4.4g

1 cup of broccoli – 5g

¼ of a cup of sunflower seeds – 3.5g

1 sweet corn – 4.2g

TOTAL = 24.2

My recommendation is to get your fiber from food sources, however there are supplements that you can take to help, psyllium is a soluble plant fiber, it is a popular fiber to help with the relief from constipation and some IBS, it is important to note that sometimes it can be a bit harsh with IBS and can aggravate the bloating.  There is also methylcellulose another plant fiber and a synthetic fiber called calcium polycarbophil; also guar gum is used as a fiber.  All of these substances are a soluble fiber, which means that the fiber absorbs water and forms a gel when mixed with liquid, which is why it helps to move food smoothly through the gut.  Insoluble fiber is from bran and tends to be not as popular for IBS symptoms, however it is still important to have both types of fiber in your diet.

If you are looking for a fiber to purchase, get a good brand and steer clear of any ‘sugar-free’ versions, as quite often there are added artificial sweeteners to improve on the taste, these artificial sweeteners irritate the sensitive IBS bowel. Sweetener names to look out for are sorbitol, aspartame and sucralose, and be aware of any chemical laxatives that are added.