John Myers
A high-fiber diet is usually recommended as a healthy diet, but it’s not the way to go for everyone. Read when to prefer low-fiber food and how to use it in your diet.
When low fiber diet is better
The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) and many experts recommend consuming as much dietary fiber as possible with food. Those who do so benefit from many beneficial health effects. However, there can be too much of a good thing. Some people experience digestive problems when they consume too much fiber. However, healthy people should not do without the indigestible food components entirely. Try out how much dietary fiber is good for you and approach the individually tolerable amount. Good to know: Very few people reach the daily amount of at least 30 grams recommended by the DGE.
Low-fiber foods: Often found in low-carb recipes
For example, if you eat mainly white bread, meat, peeled potatoes, and convenience products and consume few vegetables, fruit, and whole grain products, you consume very little dietary fiber. Adherents to a diet without carbohydrates or a low-carb diet are also among the people who consume a lot of low-fiber foods. Because they usually increase the protein and fat content and remove cereals, fruit, legumes, and vegetables from the menu. As a result, constipation can occur, for example, since one of the functions of fiber is to stimulate intestinal activity. Exactly this effect can be undesirable in people with certain diseases. For example, if you suffer from an inflamed bowel, you should choose light food.
It also depends on the preparation
In addition to the type of food, how it is prepared also plays a role in the tolerability of the dietary fibers it contains. Cooked plant foods are easier to digest than raw ones. Since most of the fiber is in the skin, peeled apples or skinned tomatoes are more digestible. The following applies to whole grain products: finely ground, they cause fewer digestive problems than coarse-grained ones. Many people are particularly sensitive to fiber that causes bloating, such as that found in cabbage and legumes. Mild varieties such as broccoli and cauliflower, as well as fine green peas and soybeans, are usually better tolerated.
