What About the Potential Problems I’ve Heard About?

Okay, to get right to the point, what do you think about when you think high fiber? Beans. And what do you think of when you think of beans? Gas.

It’s true that high-fiber foods can produce gas. It’s especially true if you suddenly start eating lots of high-fiber foods. So there are a few things you should consider as you start adding fiber to your diet.

• Start slowly and build up. If you’ve been eating 10 grams of fiber a day, don’t suddenly jump to 35 grams. Add fiber a little at a time, perhaps starting with breakfast, then lunch, and then dinner.

• Drink more water. Fiber absorbs water in the digestive tract. So you’ll want to make sure you drink plenty. Some experts recommend doubling your water intake until you know how your body is going to handle the fiber increase.

• If beans or other foods cause gas problems, take an enzyme product such as Beano. It actually works to reduce the amount of gas by helping you break down the starches that cause the gas when they are digested in the intestines.

• If certain raw foods cause gas, cook them, which makes them easier to digest.

This Heath Tip was published in '500 HIGH-FIBER RECIPES by "DICK LOGUE" - p18'