Fiber Supplements?

[Morrisun]

For those of you that might possibly use a fiber supplement would you mind sharing with me which kind you use? I went looking the other day and all of them were made out of wheat something or other. It said it was gluten-free, but it still made me nervous.

[tarnalberry]

I stick to whole foods - fruits and vegetables can get you 30g of fiber (soluble and insoluble) a day more easily than it may seem. But things like flax meal, nuts, and some of the gluten free whole grains (like quinoa and amaranth) can help. (I have quinoa flakes with flax meal on top for breakfast - I can make it at work - now there's fiber for ya!)

As for supplements, I believe psyllium is gluten free?

[RiceGuy]

When asking about a fiber supplement, I'm guessing you mean insoluble, as in a laxative?

The recommended daily intake of fiber is about 25-30 grams, though I'm sure some of us need more. I prefer getting my fiber from food, which is much more convenient and tasty IMO. I find it all too easy to actually overdose on fiber each day.

Anyway, here are some good food sources of fiber:

Shredded coconut (approx 13g fiber per cup)

Konjac Shirataki noodles (All fiber)

Green peas (approx 8g fiber per cup)

Spinach (approx 8g fiber per cup)

Chia seeds

Flax seeds

Celery (approx 2g fiber per cup)

You can search foods by fiber or other nutrient here:

Open Original Shared Link

HTH

[Morrisun]

No, not really a laxative, more of a bulking agent. I try to eat fruits and veggies, but honestly don't do as well as I should.

[RiceGuy]

I stick to whole foods - fruits and vegetables can get you 30g of fiber (soluble and insoluble) a day more easily than it may seem. But things like flax meal, nuts, and some of the gluten free whole grains (like quinoa and amaranth) can help. (I have quinoa flakes with flax meal on top for breakfast - I can make it at work - now there's fiber for ya!)

As for supplements, I believe psyllium is gluten free?

Oh yes! I can't believe I forgot the grains

Amaranth is very high in fiber, and t'eff is even higher. Quinoa however, is fairly low compared to many I've looked at, including millet and buckwheat.

Here's how some grains compare in fiber content (1/4 cup of grain)

Teff 12g

Amaranth 7.4g

Buckwheat 4.2

Millet 4.2g

Quinoa 2.5g

Another thing to consider though, is the protein and carb content. T'eff is also the grain with the most protein of those listed above.

Don't forget rice, though there are so many varieties, I'm not going to try to dig up all the info ATM.