Confused about fiber content of foods
#316322 - 10/09/07 09:33 AM
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Hello. I'm new here, and to say the least, I'm very confused and overwhelmed. I am going to have to take this slow, otherwise I think I would just give up.
A question right off the bat that is perplexing me is that on this diet, it is recommended to eat a lot of rice products such as Rice Chex, Cream of Rice cereal, Honeycombs, etc., as well as a lot of white stuff. This goes against what I have always thought was healthy, but I can get over that hopefully. In honesty, I have always considered these types of cereals "junk". What I can't seem to reconcile is that these types of foods are supposedly high in soluble fiber, but when I read the label on the package, they all say "0" for fiber content, including white bread, which is a biggie on this diet.
PLEASE, what am I missing? I have read and read posts, but can't find anything to address this question. Please forgive me if it is already somewhere, but I did not find it.
Thanks very much for your help!
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Can ANYBODY answer my question? It would really help me out if I wasn't so confused. Thanks!
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It is really confusing at first, you're right. Once you're on the diet for awhile it will become 2nd nature to you. Basically the cereals like rice chex and such I use for snacking during the day. I start my day off with dreamed rice cereal and add ground flax seed to it. The bread you want to eat is fresh french, sour dough, etc. Not wonder bread types with lots of preservatives. Rice, "white" breads, and potatoes serve as cushion for your tummy. They do have fiber but a soluable fiber. You want to start with these and if your tummy is ready and some of the insoluable fiber to it. Take it slow. If you are "C" then you will need more IF than someone with "D." Hope this helps.
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Susan
IBS-A, Gas, Pain, Reflux
"The first in time and the first in importance of the influences upon the mind is that of nature. Every day, the sun; and after sunset, night and her stars. Ever the winds blow; ever the grass grows."
Emerson, August 31, 1837
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You might start by reading this section on soluble fiber and this section on insoluble fiber. Also, you may find this message has some of the information you are looking for.
The label for Post Honeycomb says is to contains 2 grams of fiber per serving. Also, it does not contain rice but it does contain whole grain corn and oats.
'White stuff' such as rice, potatoes, pasta, etc while it does not contain high amounts of IF it can contain reasonable amounts of SF and particularly resistant starch (which acts as SF - see the link to the above posting). It is not unhealthy. Generally speaking it is processed foods that contain high amounts of sugars and additives that are the most unhealthy. However, it is always wise to moderate your intake of all refined carbohydrates 
If you search the message board you will find this topic has been discussed many times.
Good luck
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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They just act as a buffer for IF foods. Once you are well along you can eat IF foods in greater quantities. The best thing to do is eat the healthiest SF foods rather than the easy stuff like angel food cake and rice chex. You may prefer to eat bananas and sweet potatoes as your SF. Also using a SFS like acacia or benefiber will give you your SF needed to buffer IF.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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No offense, and thanks for the links, but I had already searched, searched, and searched some more. Trust me when I say I read for hours before posting here. I had already read all of the links you supplied me with except for the one on RS. Having read that, I still do not understand how if a label says "0" for fiber content, it would somehow still have fiber. Would they not include RS in the measurement? If not, then how is anybody to know how much RS is in a product? Not trying to be argumentative, only informed. When a label gives fiber content, does that not include all fiber?
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Hi, I was also confused with how much fiber certain foods have. Syl gave me a pretty good explanation about functional fiber here . I'm sorry if you've already read this thread but I'm just trying to help
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
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Unfortunately, the label does not have to report the amount of functional fiber such as RS in foods. It only needs to report the amount of dietary fiber.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Thank you, everybody, for your answers. I appreciate your taking time to try and help me.
I can't say I really get it yet though. All the charts I've seen from these links say that white flour, which is heavily processed, contains practically no RS. Since white breads are made with processed, white flour, I just can't understand how these food products would contain any significant amounts of IF, SF, or RS. I will keep reading though.
Thanks again, everybody!
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If you check the USDA Food database it says that on average commerically prepared white bread has 2.4 grams of dietary fiber per 100 grams. (see Bread, white, commercially prepared (includes soft bread crumbs))
What brand of white bread was that you saw a label that indicated that it contained 0 grams of fiber?
It is might be possible under certain conditions that the fiber content could be given as zero since the USDA labeling requirement states:
Some foods qualify for a simplified label format. This format is allowed when the food contains insignificant amounts of seven or more of the mandatory nutrients and total calories. "Insignificant" means that a declaration of zero could be made in nutrition labeling, or, for total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, and protein, the declaration states "less than 1 g."
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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