Most men don’t get enough fiber, and even those who do may be consuming it incorrectly.
The trick is to spread out your consumption throughout the day. Eating too much in one sitting can wreak havoc on your digestive tract.
That’s because fiber is the carb component of plant-based foods that’s neither absorbed or digested by the intestine. A glob making its way through your body can cause gas, bloating and constipation.
How much fiber should I get?
For adult men, the recommended daily intake is about 34 grams. Women, teens and children need less. Most Americans only get about 16 grams per day.
So, where can you get fiber? Medical News Today offers a sample daily menu as follows:
Breakfast: ¾ cup bran flakes, 1 cup plant-based milk, 1 medium banana
Snack: 1 medium apple
Lunch: 1 cup baked beans, 1.5 cups broccoli
Dinner: 1 medium baked potato with skin, 3 oz. wild salmon, 2 cups spinach salad with olive oil-based dressing
Dessert: Low-fat yogurt
Note: Not all these foods contain fiber. The salmon, plant-based milk and yogurt are just used to show a healthy diet.
Other foods high in fiber
Although you may know that bran muffins are high in fiber, there are plenty of other high-fiber foods you may not be aware of. As a general rule, when in doubt, reach for fruits, vegetables, lentils and beans, oats, nuts and very dark chocolate. More specifically, fill your kitchen with these:
- Pears – 5.5 grams for one medium pear
- Avocado – 10 grams per cup
- Raspberries – 8 grams per cup
- Artichoke – 10.3 grams per artichoke
- Lentils – 15.6 grams per cup of cooked lentils
- Kidney beans – 11.3 grams per cup of cooked beans
- Split peas – 16.3 grams per cup of cooked split peas
- Chickpeas – 12.5 grams per cup of cooked chickpeas
- Oats – 16.5 grams per cup of raw oats
- Almonds – 3.4 grams per ounce
- Chia seeds – 10.6 grams per ounce of dried chia seeds
- Dark chocolate – 3.1 grams for 1 ounce (look for 70-95% cocoa)
