
‘Fibermaxxing' Trends On TikTok. How Much Fiber Should You Be Getting?
As TikTok trends go, this 'fibermaxxing' trend is probably one of the better ones. After all, telling people to eat more fiber is better than telling people to eat something like dirt, which has been a trend on TikTok that I've described in Forbes previously. Most Americans are probably already getting enough dirt each day—depending how you define dirt. But that's not the case with fiber. So, if you are the average American who is getting way less fiber than what's been recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, for example, significantly boosting the amount of fiber that you consume each day could be a good thing. But be careful about stepping too much on the gas because that could result in some problems in end, so to speak.
What Are The Potential Benefits of 'Fibermaxxing'?
Of course, the fiber in 'fibermaxxing' refers to dietary fiber—the parts of plant-based foods that your gastrointestinal tract can't readily digest or absorb—and not the fiber found in telecommunications wires. Different types of dietary fiber can do different things. Some can serve as bulking agents, absorbing and retaining water all that stuff moving through your gastrointestinal tract so that in the end, or rather out the end your poo can move more readily. Some can delay how quickly food moves from your stomach so that you feel full longer. Some can affect the absorption of other things in your diet. Some can be fermented by microbes in your intestines into various gases and substances like short-chain fatty acids that then can have different physiologic effects. These various reasons are why fiber can have far-flung—and fart-flung—effects.
A number of the effects may be quite beneficial to your health. Higher fiber intake has been linked to making bowel movements more regular, stabilizing blood sugar levels, lowering total and LDL cholesterol, reducing blood pressure and balancing the pH in your intestines. In the longer run, such things may reduce your risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and other medical conditions.
How Much Fiber Should You Be Getting Each Day
Your average American adult consumes 10 to 15 grams of fiber per day, which is well below the recommended levels. For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration currently lists 28 grams as the daily amount of fiber you should be getting as a adult, assuming that you are consuming 2,000 calories a day. The USDA's Dietary Guidelines for Americans offers more specific recommendations by age and sex. So, if you are woman from 18 to 50 years of age, you should be getting at least 25 to 28 grams of fiber a day. This minimum drops to 22 grams a day when get past 50. The levels are higher for men, going from 31 to 35 grams a day, if you are 18 to 50 years of age, down to 28 grams if you are 51 years or older.
How Much Fiber Is In Higher Fiber Food?
Increasing your fiber intake means eating more foods that are rich in fiber such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds, and whole grains. Fiber is just one of the reasons why it can be quite fruitful to make sure that you are eating enough fruits in your diet. For example, according to the Mayo Clinic website, a cup of raspberries has around eight grams of fiber, whereas a cup of strawberries has around three grams. A medium-sized pear has 5.5. grams, a medium-sized apple with skin 4.5 grams, a medium-sized banana three grams and same with an medium-sized orange. Dried fruits such as apricots, dates, prunes and raisins can provide a good amount of fiber as well.
Another way to get more fiber is to give peas a chance and other vegetables a chance, too. You can get about nine grams of fiber from a cup of boiled green peas, five from the same amount of either boiled broccoli or turnip greens, between four to 4.5 from a cup of either brussel sprouts or sweet corn and four from a medium-sized baked potato with skin. A cup of raw cauliflower will give two grams whereas a medium-sized raw carrot will give your around two.
You can't get pasta the fact that whole-wheat spaghetti is going to give you more fiber (six grams for a cup of the cooked stuff) than the regular type of spaghetti. A cup of instant oatmeal can sort of instantly give you four grams while a cup of cooked brown rice can offer 3.5 grams. One slice of either whole-wheat or rye bread has around two grams
And don't make legumes 'has beans' in your diet. Make them now beans. A cup of boiled split peas can offer a whopping 16 grams of fiber. A cup of boiled lentils is close at 15.5. The same amount of boiled black beans can provide 15.
You could also go nuts. An ounce of almonds or about 23 of them has around 3.5 grams of fiber. The same weight of pistachios or 49 of them has about three grams.
What Are The Risks Of 'Fibermaxxing'?
So, are there any risks of getting too much fiber, taking the 'maxxing' or maximizing part too much to the max, such as downing many loaves of fruitcakes each day. Well, one risk is not getting a balanced diet. You don't want to just focus on one nutritional need while neglecting others such as different vitamins and minerals. The problem with any 'maxxing' recommendation is that it suggests that there is one magical nutrient that is more important above all others. So give the 'maxxing' idea the axe in general.
Another potential issue are the effects of fiber on your GI tract. While pulling fluid into and bulking up your stool and prompting fermentation reactions with the microbes in your gut can do a lot of good, there are potential drawbacks such as excess gas, bloating, stomach cramps and, of course, lots o' farting. So, if you tell people you are 'fibermaxxing' and see them step away from you, you may know why. If you find yourself being too much of a gas at parties in a bad way, you could always moderate your fiber intake as long as you stay above the recommended daily amounts.
Exercise can help alleviate feeling like a hot air balloon as well. As I've detailed when covering the trend of going on 'fart walks,' physical activity can get your gut moving more. After all, who hasn't started running and then felt propelled by a series of farts?
Since the fiber absorbs fluid in your gut, lots of fiber in your diet can leave you dehydrated. Therefore, it will be important to combine fiber intake with enough fluid intake. You can get a sense of your hydration levels by looking at your urine. Dark urine is a sign that your body may be dehydrated. Just remember, if you eat a ton of peas, look at your pee.
Changing your fluid balance and bulking up your stool can affect your bowel habits in different ways, ranging from diarrhea to constipation. If the constipation gets severe enough, you may experience intestinal blockage, requiring immediate medical attention. Increasing your physical activity and fluid intake can help with constipation. Of course, if you are downing bran flakes like there's no tomorrow and having bowel issues, you may want to cut back on your 'maxxing.'
So, if you've a gut feeling that you are not getting enough fiber, by all means, boost your fiber intake. Just make sure that you don't step too much on the gas with the 'fibermaxxing' because you could end up with too much, well, gas, and other issues.

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