National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Dietary Fiber is the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine 
National Institutes of Health
Dietary Fiber
Also called: Bulk, Roughage
Fiber is a substance in plants. Dietary fiber is the kind you eat. It is in fruits, vegetables and grains. It is the part of the plant that your body can't digest. Yet it is an important part of a healthy diet. It adds bulk to your diet and makes you feel full faster, helping you control your weight. Fiber helps digestion and helps prevent constipation.
You can get fiber from whole grains, beans, nuts, fruits and vegetables. You should add fiber to your diet slowly. Increasing dietary fiber too quickly can lead to gas, bloating and cramps.
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Start Here
- Fiber: How to Increase the Amount in Your Diet(American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Also available in Spanish
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Overviews
- Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- High Fiber Diet (Beyond the Basics)(UpToDate)
- Why Is It Important to Eat Grains, Especially Whole Grains?(Dept. of Agriculture)
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Latest News
- Fiber-Added Foods May Not Stem Your Hunger(07/27/2012, Reuters Health)
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Related Issues
- Fiber Supplements: Are They Safe to Take Every Day?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Health Gains from Whole Grains(Harvard School of Public Health)
- Scoop on Whole Grains(Food and Drug Administration)
- Tips to Help You Eat Whole Grains(Dept. of Agriculture)
- What Foods Are in the Grain Group?(Dept. of Agriculture)
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Videos
- Kids 'n Fiber(Food and Drug Administration)
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Directories
- Nutrient Lists(Dept. of Agriculture) - PDF
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Organizations
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Children
- Fiber and Your Child(Nemours Foundation)
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Kids 'n Fiber
(Food and Drug Administration)
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Teenagers
- Fiber(Nemours Foundation)
- Fiber: An Important Part of Your Teen's Diet(American Academy of Pediatrics)
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Patient Handouts
- Fiber
- Also available in Spanish
- High-fiber foods
- Also available in Spanish
- Low-residue fiber diet
- Also available in Spanish
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
