Gastroenterologists Are Begging People To Avoid This One Common Fiber Mistake

Trend watchers claim that “fiber is the new protein.” However, gastroenterologists say that fiber isn’t a fad. It’s a necessity.

“Fiber prevents constipation and can lower the risk of hemorrhoids and diverticulosis [when small pouches form in the colon wall because of constipation],” says Dr. Sara Yacyshyn, MD, CNSC, a gastroenterologist at Mercy Medical Center. “It feeds healthy gut bacteria and can promote a diverse microbiome. Adequate dietary fiber can even help regulate blood sugar and support healthy cholesterol levels.”

Unfortunately, most people don’t consume enough fiber. Yet increasing your intake to meet your daily needs, or maintaining your fiber consumption if you’re part of the approximately 5% who get enough, is just one piece of the puzzle.

“We all know fiber is important, but how you add it matters, because your gut needs time to adapt,” says Dr. Vikas Taneja, MD, a gastroenterologist at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center. “Best practices help you get the benefits while avoiding common side effects such as gas, bloating or constipation that can happen when people jump from a low-fiber diet to a high-fiber one overnight.”

Your goal in increasing your fiber intake is to avoid those side effects, especially constipation. To do so, you’ll want to develop a gut-friendly fiber habit. This common fiber mistake is not one of them.

🩺SIGN UP for Parade’s health newsletter with expert-approved tips, healthy eats, exercises, news & more to help you stay healthy & feel your best self💊

The Common Fiber Mistake To Avoid, Gastroenterologists Say

“Too much fiber without water or increasing fiber intake too quickly can cause gas and bloating,” Dr. Yacyshyn reports.

That might explain a lot if you felt more bloated or gassy recently, despite eating more fiber. It also may come as a surprise. What does water have to do with fiber anyway?

“Consuming adequate water allows fiber to bind to the water and prevent stools from becoming too hard from the fiber,” notes Dr. Pratima Dibba, MD, a board-certified gastroenterologist with Medical Offices of Manhattan and contributor to labfinder.com.

That’s the short of it. “If you increase fiber a lot but don’t drink enough water, the fiber can become ‘too dry’ as it moves through your intestines,” Dr. Taneja explains.

He highlights two specific types of fiber:

• Soluble fiber (oats, beans and psyllium) forms a gel by pulling in water
• Insoluble fiber (wheat bran and many vegetables) adds bulk

“Without adequate fluid, the stool can become thick, hard, and slow to pass,” Dr. Taneja says.

So, when you don’t drink enough water with fiber, he says that you may feel:

• Constipation
• Bloating
• Cramping
• Gas
• A feeling of fullness or pressure
• Sometimes, worsening reflux or nausea occurs “because the gut is moving more slowly.”

Related: This Is Hands-Down the Best Lunch for Gut Health, According to a Gastroenterologist and Registered Dietitian

How Much Water Should I Drink With Fiber?

Your mileage, er, ounces, may vary.

“How much water you need to drink per day depends on factors such as your weight, activity level and health conditions,” Dr. Yacyshyn says. “Drinking water consistently throughout the day is generally sufficient.”

To maintain hydration, she suggests:

• Drinking water before you feel thirsty
• Taking a look at your pee and making sure it is a pale, yellow or clear color
• Ensuring that stools are easy to pass

Additionally, you may want to experiment with when you drink water in relation to your fiber intake.

“During or right after is usually best, and ‘before’ can help if you are already behind on hydration,” Dr. Taneja states. “The reason is simple: You want water available in the gut as the fiber arrives, so it can swell or gel appropriately and keep stool soft.”

He adds that waiting too long to drink water after eating a high fiber meal can have some painful consequences in the form of harder, slower stools, especially in people prone to constipation.

“A practical routine is: drink a glass of water with meals, and add another glass within the next hour if the meal was especially high in fiber or if you are using a supplement,” Dr. Taneja notes.

Related: Here’s Exactly What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Leafy Greens Every Day

How Much Fiber Is Too Much?

A good rule of thumb: “Consuming more than 40 grams of fiber can potentially result in gastrointestinal symptoms like gas or flatulence,” Dr. Dibba says.

Overall, though, your fiber needs and maximums really depend on a key factor: You.

“It depends on anatomy, such as any history of bowel surgeries and underlying GI conditions,” Dr. Yacyshyn says. “For example, patients with a flare-up of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may benefit from a low-fiber diet to reduce inflammation and allow the GI tract to heal.”

Dr. Taneja suggests that women aim for about 25 grams of fiber per day, and men aim for 35 grams per day. People over 50 may benefit from consuming a little less fiber. Importantly, you don’t want to go from no fiber to these targets in one day.

“A practical approach is to increase fiber gradually, spread it across meals and pair higher-fiber foods or supplements with regular water intake throughout the day, aiming for pale-yellow urine as a simple hydration check,” he says.

Still, you may need to get a literal gut check before trying any of the above.

“Seek medical advice before aggressively increasing fluids if you have certain medical conditions such as heart failure, advanced kidney disease or if you are on fluid restriction,” Dr. Taneja says.

Up Next:

Related: ‘I’m a Gastroenterologist—This Is the One Breakfast Mistake I’m Begging People To Stop Making’

Sources:

• Dr. Sara Yacyshyn, MD, CNSC, a gastroenterologist at Mercy Medical Center
• Closing America’s Fiber Intake Gap. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine.
• Dr. Vikas Taneja, MD, a gastroenterologist at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center
• Dr. Pratima Dibba, MD, a board-certified gastroenterologist with Medical Offices of Manhattan and contributor to labfinder.com