Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I have seen questions on whether or not fiber consumption is healthy or not, but I haven't found information on how much fiber we need. Lustig says 300 grams (unreasonable), and other threads state some HG communities got up to 100 grams. What is a reasonable amount of fiber in the diet. I have been consuming close to 10 grams on most days sometimes higher.

flag	asked May 1 2011 at 14:53 ROB 785●5●14

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Lustig advocates fiber when you're eating carbs. I'm not so sure about his stance on fiber for fiber's sake. Fiber slows your BG rise. Whole foods with fiber (e.g., brown rice) do not make your BG to rise as much. Also, fruits with fiber induces satiety and prevent you from overeating by giving you the sensation of "fullness". But fiber for what? Indigestion? Constipation? Fiber is dicey when it comes to constipation and is of dubious merit. I would first decide what is fiber for. I don't think fiber in itself is worth eating. Flax meals, for example, seems to me to be worthless. – Namby Pamby May 1 2011 at 23:01

semirade · Answer 1 · 2011-05-01 18:42:55Z UTC

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My last colonoscopy (pre-paleo, 10+yrs pescatarian) left my gastrointerologist saying I had diverticulosis - I had a bowel resection due to diverticulitis 14 yrs ago - which is why I ultimately changed my diet to "high fiber" almost exclusively vegetarian - I told him that if I had any more fiber I'd become a bran muffin! -- I'm eating the same great veggies now - only difference is I've gotten rid of my fiber-rich oatmeal, whole grain breads, fiber rich beans, bran, and all the tempeh, soy and brown rice products under the sun - it's just veggies and meat - I don't expect another colonoscopy for a few yrs - I'll let you know then how much is enough!!!!!

answered May 1 2011 at 18:42

semirade
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	You really need to up your fish oil consumption then. Same thing with pastured butter. Distal colon is where you need butyric acid production from biota and if not that is how colon ca develops. Leaky gut and inflammatory pathways go haywire – The Quilt May 1 2011 at 21:08
	It's a good thing you got rid of all "supplemental" fiber: those fiber in fiber-enriched breads and oatmeals are not naturally-occurring "endogenous fiber" that Lustig advocates. If you want naturally occurring fiber, think about incorporating avocados to your diet. Otherwise, you're left with vegetables and you'll literally have to become a vegetable to ingest as much fiber as people advocate. 30 is plenty and I think fiber is a scam. – Namby Pamby May 1 2011 at 22:57
	Dr.K - Thank you for your response! Didn't expect it!I've been doing extra fish oil - I'll look up those other things = like "what's pastured butter?) - and Namby - you're absolutely right all the fiber is a scam = too bad I couldn't find that out 20 yrs ago!!!!!!!! – semirade May 1 2011 at 23:55
	What do you recommend for someone diagnosed with diverticulitis? You can email me at henrydrn7913@yahoo.com, if you'd like. This would be much appreciated! – henrydrn May 9 2011 at 8:19

mari · Answer 2 · 2011-05-01 17:21:51Z UTC

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Strictly speaking, we don't need any. I do think that a reasonable amount is likely to be healthy for gut flora and whatnot though. I think eating some starchy tubers and other vegetables or fruits would get you to a good level, but it's not something I worry about.

answered May 1 2011 at 17:21

mari
7,469●2●8●24

Great answer and plus one. But understand context is important. The more carbs and you eat the more fiber you require for your gut. If your not eating many carbs you don't need any fiber. It's context! – The Quilt May 1 2011 at 21:06

Thomas Seay · Answer 3 · 2011-05-01 15:25:11Z UTC

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I don't know how much fiber I have been getting, but I eat lunch and dinner eating as many veggies as I feel and add tubers to one of those meals. Despite that, I am still somewhat constipated. Yes, I have recently added probiotics. Taking magnesium (Natural Calm) helps, but it occurs to me that this is a palliative to the problem. If the probiotics don't solve this problem in the next few weeks, I am going to have to re-evaluate the Paleo diet.

answered May 1 2011 at 15:25

Thomas Seay

	Could be a sensitivity to something you might think benign. Cultured dairy products cause that in me but not uncultured cream or cheese (I don't drink milk). Chocolate causes that in me too. I have found increasing saturated fat intake in the form of coconut oil, lard or beef tallow solves the problem most of the time. I get the Omega Nutrition coconut oil, the one that has no coconut taste or smell (removed by a steam process but the lauric acid/health benefits are still there). Beans made from scratch with lots of tallow or lard might do wonders for your situation. I eat that daily. – Richard N May 1 2011 at 15:56
	I am in the exact same situation Thomas. – ROB May 1 2011 at 17:11
	Also drink much more water. – Marie May 1 2011 at 17:13
	I was planning a post on this once I do more research, but as a tentative theory, how much iodine are you getting in your diet? – A at Grain Free Diet May 1 2011 at 19:29
	For those reading this months later : GELATIN – Korion Jan 22 2012 at 17:52

How much fiber do we need?

3 Answers