High Fibre Requirement

Daily recommended intake of fibre is 20-35 gm. Urban folks only take 5-10gm... Best source of high fibre is fruits & vegetables because they also contain essential vitamins & minerals:-

Vegetables and fruits
• Eat plenty of vegetables, including the skin. Some high-fibre vegetables are beets, broccoli,
Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots (and V-8 juice), cauliflower, corn, green or yellow beans, onions, parsnips, peas, potatoes, radishes and other salad items, spinach, squash, tomatoes, turnips and yams.
• Eat three or more fruits each day. Have fresh fruit if you can. Some high-fibre fruit are
apricots, apples (or applesauce), berries, cherries, kiwi fruit, nectarines, oranges, plums and pears.
• Eat dried fruits such as prunes, figs, raisins and dates.
• Prune juice and rhubarb are natural laxatives.
• Whole fruits with the skin have the most fibre, but if these are hard for you to eat try apple
sauce, or canned pears or canned pineapple.

Grain products
• Whole grain (brown) breads such as rye, 100%whole wheat, multigrain and pumpernickel.
Choose bagels and buns that are made with whole grains.
• Muffins made with whole wheat or bran, oatmeal cookies, Graham wafers, whole wheat
crackers and whole wheat waffles.
• Brown and wild rice, and whole wheat spaghetti and pasta.
• High-fibre cold cereals such as All Bran, Bran Flakes, Bran Buds, Grape Nuts, Shredded Wheat, Wheetabix, Corn Bran, Shreddies, Muslix and granola.
• High-fibre hot cereals such as Red River or Sunny Boy cereal, oatmeal, oat bran cereal, corn
meal cereal or cooked bulgar cereal.

Dried beans and peas, nuts and seeds
• Nuts such as peanuts and peanut butter, walnuts and almonds.
• Seeds such as sunflower seeds, sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds (with the shell left on).
• Dried beans, peas and lentils can be used in soups, salads and casseroles. You can soak dried
beans and peas or buy them ready-to-eat from a can. Have beans in tomato sauce, kidney beans,
black beans, split pea soup or chick peas. Try hummus (chick pea spread) on crackers.
Other foods
• High fibre snack foods such as popcorn, tortilla chips, whole wheat pretzels, trail mix or banana
chips.
Ideas to increase fibre in your meals
• Sprinkle a tablespoon or two of cooking bran on hot cereal, casseroles, desserts or salads.
• Add a couple of teaspoons of whole flax seed to cereal or other foods.
• When baking muffins, cookies or pancakes add bran, flax seeds or wheat germ. Replace half of
the white flour with whole wheat flour.

FLUIDS
Drink plenty of water. Water is needed to make the fibre do its work in your body. Without water, fibre can actually make you more constipated. Try to drink 6-8 cups of fluid (not including regular coffee or tea) each day. It is best if at least half of this fluid is water. A glass of warm or hot water first thing in the morning often helps.
Note: Having a drink of alcohol (such as a glass of wine) or a cup of coffee with a meal may help
stimulate your bowels. Talk to your doctor before drinking alcohol.