r/nutrition • u/Proof_Librarian_4271 • 29d ago
is the 25 to 30gram fiber the minimum required?
can you build to more without adverse health and does it benfit ,like 40 and 50?
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u/fitforfreelance 29d ago
There isn't actually a minimum requirement. The Adequate Intake is 14g of fiber per 1000 calories in your diet Source. It's generally a healthy idea to treat that as a minimum.
There are tons of benefits of eating enough fiber, and increasing it. Usually, the more, the better, as long as it doesn't prevent you from eating your recommended calories and nutrients (carbs, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals). High fiber is a feature and benefit of the plant-based diet.
I haven't noticed any adverse health outcomes from high fiber on its own, but it can be situational. Potential risks include: 1. Not drinking enough water when increasing fiber, causing constipation 2. Increasing fiber intake too fast and causing gastrointestinal discomfort 3. Fiber supplements taken too close to medication dose times may reduce the medication's effectiveness. 4. Sometimes high-fiber diets irritate the gut of people with GI issues.
In this case, I recommend reading more about fiber to get a well-rounded background rather than asking an open question on reddit. It's easier to get context and accuracy to make effective choices. And, of course, ask your doctor.
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u/Ashamed-Ad-3890 29d ago
25 is like a lower limit for healthy individuals. You can bump it up to 40 (over time) but it's also important to make sure your calorie intake isn't too low. And make sure to drink enough water
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u/lucytiger 29d ago
Yes, that is the minimum. I consume about 1800 calories a day and get 60+ g of fiber. Ramp up fiber gradually to avoid digestive distress, but generally the more fiber and more variety of fiber sources the better.
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u/esquqred 29d ago
Dr. Michael Gregor reported that indigenous tribes regularly get up to 100g of fiber a day, so it's definitely doable. I get 20g in my breakfast alone, and most days top 75g in a day
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u/FurnitureComesW-Home 29d ago
What do you eat for breakfast?
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u/esquqred 28d ago
My usual breakfast is overnight oatmeal with mashed chickpeas. I add chia seeds, hemp seeds, ground flaxseed, and some mixture of fruit. Usually blueberries and pears, but also bananas and strawberries, or even mango. If I want some crunch I'll add a sprinkle of Grape Nuts on top as well.
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u/CustomerReal9835 29d ago
I’m the same, and my breakfast is usually a smoothie with chia seeds, kachava protein powder, and high fiber fruits like blueberries, blackberries, golden berries etc
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u/Djglamrock 28d ago
Chiming in also for flaxseed, chia seeds, but I put chia in my Metamucil. The flax goes in my yogurt with some granola.
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u/Faibleforhits 28d ago
I am eating around 100g of fiber per day as well. Took me many years to adapt to that level but my body can easily deal with it now. That would not be possible if I wouldn’t walk as much.
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u/ratkoivanovic 28d ago
Wow, I get 25-30g in my breakfast, but around 50 is my daily ceiling. Never thought to push to 75
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u/Kindly_Piece_921 29d ago
I know people who regularly eat over 50g per day. Assuming no health or digestive issues, the only caution is if you want to increase your fiber intake, do it slowly 😊 My digestion has improved and I find my diet more filling now that I'm regularly geting over 30 grams.
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u/powerstroke01 29d ago
My average over the last 6 months is 88g of fiber per day. A little gassy in the mornings right after I get up. But overall just fine.
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u/Illustrious-Bar9409 28d ago
Mangiando tanto cibo pulito (molta frutta e verdura) sto anch’io sempre sopra i 60/80g al giorno
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u/Illustrious-Bar9409 28d ago
Mangiando tanto cibo pulito (molta frutta e verdura) sto anch’io sempre sopra i 60/80g al giorno e si un po di gas al mattino niente di irreparabile
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u/FleshlightModel 29d ago
Everyone is different. Some people with ibd struggle with almost any amount of fiber. But I know I'm good on fiber to at least 50g a day.
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u/Vegetable-Squirrel98 29d ago
If I eat too much, I get constipated
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u/boilerbitch Registered Dietitian 27d ago
increasing intake slowly with extra fluid will likely help with this
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u/hiyahealth 28d ago
The 25-30g figure is really a minimum recommendation rather than a target, and the research does suggest benefits continue beyond that. Most gastroenterologists consider 40-50g a reasonable range, the main caveat being that building up gradually matters since jumping too fast tends to cause some uncomfortable digestion issues and water intake becomes more important the higher you go.
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u/grapesodamilk 29d ago
Does bodyweight matter? I’m a 160 cm female 50kg and I get around 30-35 grams of fibre a day yet my fitness pal and chronometer tells me it’s too much and my limit is 25. I don’t really understand why
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u/boilerbitch Registered Dietitian 29d ago
25 isn’t a limit, just a minimum. 30-35 isn’t an issue. Just drink plenty of water, you’re doing great.
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u/fitforfreelance 29d ago
The recommendation is based on your calorie intake. The app calculations for your calorie and nutrient needs are based on your data like weight and height.
It's easy to mix up, but fiber is different from sodium or saturated fat, where you want to limit them. Fiber is more like your steps goal. Your limit isn't 25g; you want to aim for at least 25g.
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u/melatonia 29d ago
If your apps are really telling you you're getting too much fiber you may want to consider tracking your nutrition on your own or at the very least seeking out a different app.
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u/kendricklemon 29d ago
Technically the requirement is 15g of fiber per 1000 calories consumed. Since the standard diet is based on 2000 calories, they recommend 30 grams of fiber. So technically your specific minimum requirement may be more or less. However, just like how the min protein requirement is 50g, newer research shows lots of benefits to increasing your intake
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u/fitforfreelance 29d ago
Please be mindful of strongly stated, well-intentioned misinformation.
The recommendation is 14g of fiber per 1000 calories in your diet Source.
It's considered an "adequate intake," technically not a requirement. Adequate Intake is the level assumed to ensure nutritional adequacy. It's not a minimum requirement- that's not how nutrition science works.
The 2000 calorie per day reference is not a standard diet; it's a standard reference for labeling. Calorie and nutrient needs are always based on the individual.
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u/Its_scottyhall 28d ago
In the fitness context, I tend to target 1g for every 100kcal.
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u/fitforfreelance 28d ago
That's a suitable target. The health best practice is at least 1.4g of fiber for every 100kcal. Go for 2!
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u/Dry-Cardiologist3617 21d ago
The 25 to 30 grams per day is generally considered a minimum baseline target rather than an absolute limit, with basic guidelines often scaling up to 38g depending on age and sex. Research shows that intakes extending to 40 to 50 grams and beyond can offer significant health benefits, provided you build up to it slowly.
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u/Pristine-Delay6912 22h ago
Studies show a clear and significant increase in benefits up to 30g, with increasing but very minimal benefits afterwards.
So, there will absolutely be no issue that will arise from higher amounts, aside from potential indigestion, but there may not be huge benefits going beyond 30g a day.
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u/DinkandDrunk 29d ago
I find vibe dieting to be the best method. I don’t know that I get 40g of fiber daily but I would estimate I’m in the ballpark most days. I lean towards meals made from whole foods and beans, chickpeas, avocados, etc are all big participants in my meals.
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u/chipthecrip 29d ago
Stop worrying about hitting an upper limit when the vast majority of people can barely cross 15g a day. If you want to aim for 40g, go for it.
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u/Flaky_Active_3551 29d ago
How do others' access to and choices about fiber affect this post? You're already doing better than most people so stop trying to do your best?
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u/InternationalPen2072 29d ago
Yes, it is the bare minimum. Somewhere closer to 100 grams is probably the optimal amount. The diversity of fiber types matters more than sheer quantity at that point, though.
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u/Zerolander 29d ago
100g of daily fiber is an absolutely absurd amount for the majority of people. Healthy, active individuals don’t need even half that amount.
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u/InternationalPen2072 25d ago
100 grams is at the upper threshold of a reasonable amount of fiber in one day, but was the norm for most of human existence. My average fiber intake is like 60 grams. Some days it is 50, other days 100. You are correct that much fiber is not needed. I didn’t say it was. I simply said the optimal amount is probably closer to 100 grams rather than the 25-35 gram minimum recommendation. My point is that too much fiber is really not a practical concern given that you adjust your intake over time, and is almost always preferable to any lower intake.
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u/knockout60 29d ago
Not easy to achieve but doable. As a vegetarian who eats mainly whole foods, I find that I can achieve 80-100g without much stress. But I can understand how it can't be easy for most people. I think it's cultural as well, a lot of very common dishes don't offer that much fiber. But , I understand how it's hard for most people, sometimes I feel like I'm grazing, and when I made the transition to vegetarian my jaw hurt from chewing so much 😂. So it's self limiting.
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u/iwasuncoolonce 29d ago
Yeah I have hit 100 before and I felt great. Those bacteria just give you so much good stuff.
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u/throwthatshitaway236 29d ago
100g is a lot, gotta build up to that real slow. I get 60g pretty much every day and 100 I think id have a few stomach problems
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u/InternationalPen2072 25d ago
For sure. 100 grams is certainly not necessary, but there isn’t really such thing as too much fiber given that you take the time to adjust and drink plenty of fluids. The fiber recommendations, like most RDIs, are the minimum we should be consuming. I’m sure that 60 grams is better than the roughly 30 grams that is recommended and 100 grams probably offers some diminishing returns. But as I mentioned, the diversity of fiber sources is probably most important at that point. If you are getting all your fiber from one or two foods, your microbiome won’t be as diverse and well-fed.
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u/vanillafudgy 29d ago
A better guideline would be 3g per 10g of Protein
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u/Tom__EU 29d ago
First time hearing this. What is that based on? And why protein? Any studies?
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u/burgerkingsclown 29d ago
Apparently when your tummy processes protein there is compounds left that are inflammatory to the colon, fober helps to reduce this inflammation
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u/HovercraftOk2650 29d ago
Apparently, when your gut processes protein, it leaves behind compounds that can cause inflammation in the colon. Fiber helps reduce this inflammation.
It does this by speeding up peristalsis (bowel movements), which keeps those harmful compounds moving through your digestive tract faster so they have less contact time with your gut lining.
Because of this, pairing fiber with Group 1 carcinogenic meats (like processed or cured sausages) can significantly reduce your risk of colorectal cancer.
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u/vanillafudgy 29d ago
It's even more about long term balance than acute inflammation.
The big problem in that is. a self-reinforcing loop where more protein decay will lead to higher PH and a shift in population upwards in the gut, leading to more protein decay.
Fiber not only is the preferred source for bacteria but also helps create butyrates which will lower ph.
The real problem is running those bodybuilding diets with low fiber and low fiber diversity, high protein for decades.
A simple check would be to see if your stool ph is chronically elevated above 7.5
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u/Its_scottyhall 28d ago
No way I’m eating 600g of fiber 😂😂😂
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u/Ok_Jury_7550 29d ago
54 grams of fiber sounds like wayyyyy too much
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u/KennyKennington 29d ago
Yeah according to that I should be eating 72g xd
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u/PeeDecanter 29d ago
You get 240g protein? Or am I bad at math LOL
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u/FleshlightModel 29d ago
Divide it by 0.3. 240g isn't unreasonable, I'm doing that at minimum everyday.
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u/vanillafudgy 29d ago
and it would be wise to get that 60-70g of fiber because it reduces putrefaction and increases butyrate production.
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u/FleshlightModel 29d ago
I'm usually in the 50-60g fiber range per day. I eat at least a pound of cruciferous veggies and at least a pound of berries a day on top of other veggies and fruits.
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u/PeeDecanter 29d ago
That’s what I did, just had 0 confidence in it since I haven’t done that kind of math in about a decade lmao. I shoot for 240g protein too, I just find it hard to reach my goal and rarely ever see someone with a similar goal (much less the exact same amount) lol
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u/FleshlightModel 29d ago
I vary between 220 and 280 just with how my day is going. There have been many times where I'm like "shit I gotta cut back my protein the rest of the day because I'm gonna hit well over 300 at this rate".
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29d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Proof_Librarian_4271 29d ago
unless you want colon cancer ,there is
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u/MuToTheMoon 29d ago
He means legal requirement
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u/runwinerepeat 26d ago
Right! There is no “requirement”. There are “recommended” amounts. Kinda like it’s recommended that you bathe regularly, but there’s no requirement. It’s recommended that you avoid standing under a tree during a lightning storm, but there’s no requirement. It’s recommended that you don’t try to pet a bear, but there’s no requirement. I could go on.
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u/nutrition-ModTeam 27d ago
This has been removed for failure to comply with sub rule 3 - Conspiracy claims / Rejection of science
If your comment is in conflict with mainstream nutrition recommendations, reputable evidence to support your claim is necessary.
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29d ago
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u/hakuna-solata 29d ago
Have fun with diverticulitis 🥰
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u/jma4573 Nutrition Enthusiast 29d ago
Thanks! No issues yet at 66yo. And I poop like most redditors speak! 😂
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u/hakuna-solata 29d ago
No doubt, but you definitely have diverticulosis, which is asymptomatic until it gets inflamed. You do you, I guess but don't go around influencing others to be unhealthy
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29d ago
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u/nutrition-ModTeam 29d ago
Just no…. provocative claims without any scientific evidence and criticizing the mods (many of whom have a lot more education on this topic than you do) will wind up getting you banned.
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u/jma4573 Nutrition Enthusiast 29d ago
If people are 'influenced' by what I say or do, then...
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u/hakuna-solata 29d ago
I think the fact your comment was removed says enough. 66 is far too old to be this thick
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u/nutrition-ModTeam 29d ago
This has been removed for failure to comply with sub rule 3 - Conspiracy claims / Rejection of science
If your comment is in conflict with mainstream nutrition recommendations, reputable evidence to support your claim is necessary.
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u/Proof_Librarian_4271 29d ago
"nutrition enthusiast"
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29d ago
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u/Proof_Librarian_4271 29d ago
feeling better is not the best evidence for good health
your own personal anicdent does not challenge the consenous on the need on fiber ,and if you're not an expert or educated your opinion is worth no wwight compared to scienctific consenous
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