Choosing A High Fiber Diet Plan

If a person has bowel problems such as constipation or hemorrhoids, or if he has a family history of colon cancer, a doctor may prescribe a high fiber diet plan so that the person reaps the benefit of fiber, which includes solving constipation or hemorrhoid problems in most people as well as helping to keep the colon healthy and clean, which is a cancer preventative. High fiber diet plans are a good idea for all people, with many not eating an adequate amount of fiber in their diets every day. There are certain foods that are high in fiber, which can be determined by the serving information on packaging. If foods have five or more grams of fiber per serving they are considered a high fiber food and are usually recommended for a high fiber diet plan which usually includes a low fat high fiber diet.

What to Eat

There are recommended fiber requirements for different ages of people and different sexes of people in order to have enough fiber in the diet. High fiber diet plans require that individuals at least meet the minimal requirements, if not try to exceed them. For children under the age of three, the recommended amount of fiber is around nineteen grams per day. For children up to eight years old, the recommended amount jumps to twenty-five grams per day. For women who are not pregnant or lactating, this amount does not go up much between nine and eighteen years old they only need a gram more before dropping back down to twenty-five grams per day until they reach fifty when it drops to twenty-one grams per day for a high fiber diet plan. For males the intake is much higher, reaching thirty-eight grams between fourteen and fifty years of age before dropping to thirty grams per day after fifty.

There are many foods that are great for a high fiber diet plan such as any foods that are made of whole grain. There are many delicious choices such as breads, bagels and muffins that are made of whole grains. It is good to check to see if they are indeed made of whole grain rather than the other processed means of making these items. In addition there are many cold and hot cereals that are made from whole grain, such as oatmeal which is great for preventing colon cancer. There are also different fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber for a high fiber diet plan. Green leafy vegetables are almost always high in fiber, such as spinach or collard greens. Broccoli and green peas are also high in fiber content. Fruits such as oranges, apples with the peel on them and strawberries are also high in fiber, not to mention avocados which are also rich in other vitamins.