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  • Connie Sarros
    Connie Sarros

    Foraging for Gluten-Free Fiber

    Reviewed and edited by a celiac disease expert.

    Patients suffering from constipation are encouraged to consume a lot of dietary fiber (non-digestible carbohydrates and lignin from plants).

    Foraging for Gluten-Free Fiber - Photo: CC--michael koolman
    Caption: Photo: CC--michael koolman

    Celiac.com 10/08/2014 - The one condition that accounts for almost half of the patients who seek out gastroenterologists is IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).  Many celiacs suffer from this ailment.  IBS is a ‘functional’ disorder, meaning that there is no damage to the digestive tract.  Only the bowel’s function, not its structure, is disturbed.   

    Here is Where the Irony Begins

    Patients suffering from constipation are encouraged to consume a lot of dietary fiber (non-digestible carbohydrates and lignin from plants) because it acts as a mild laxative and promotes bowel evacuation.  A ‘mild laxative’ is the last thing someone with diarrhea needs, right?  Wrong!  It is recommended that IBS patients go on a high-fiber diet.  

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    Studies show that IBS patients on a high fiber diet report a reduction in pain; those on a low fiber diet do not.  Bowel habits improve in about half of IBS patients on the high fiber diet.  Even for people who do not have IBS, doctors recommend that we all include more fiber in our diets.

    So How Much is ‘Enough’ Fiber?

    The daily recommendation is 25 to 35 grams of combined soluble fiber (dissolves in water) and insoluble fiber (‘roughage’ that does not dissolve in water).   Peas, beans and apples contain soluble fiber, which slows digestion and helps the body absorb nutrients from food.  Flax seeds and nuts provide insoluble fiber, which helps foods pass through the stomach and intestines and adds bulk to the stool.  Fiber is found in plant foods and cannot be digested by humans.  It may also help control weight because it makes you feel full sooner.  The total grams of fiber you should ingest depends on your digestive system’s sensitivity.  

    Just a warning:  A high-fiber diet causes gas because the carbohydrates in high-fiber foods cannot be completely digested in the stomach and small intestine.  It is best to increase the amount of consumed fiber slowly to allow your body to get used to it gradually.  Additionally, it is vital to increase water consumption in proportion to the increased intake of fiber.

    Where Do You Find Fiber?

    Fiber is found in vegetable gums (konjac gum, gum Arabic, carrageenan, guar gum, locust bean gum, petin vegetable gums, xanthan gum).  It is also found in nature, in the foods we harvest from the ground.  The following list shows some of the foods that are high in fiber:

    • 1 oz. dry almonds (3g)
    • 1 oz. roasted pumpkin seeds (10.2g)
    • 1 oz. sunflower seeds (4g)
    • 1 unpeeled medium apple (3.7g)
    • 1 unpeeled pear (4.5g)
    • 1 kiwi (5g)
    • 4 oz. dried, sulfured apricots (8.8g)
    • 4 oz. dried figs (10.5g)
    • 10 dried prunes (6.1g)
    • 1 cup raspberries (9g)
    • ¾ cup blackberries (7g)
    • ½ cup baked beans (7g)
    • ½ cup chick peas (7g)
    • 1 cup boiled lentils (15.6g)
    • ½ cup canned lima beans (5.8g)
    • ½ cup navy beans (6.7g)
    • ½ cup pinto refried beans (11g)
    • 1 corn on the cob (5.9g)
    • 1 cup white corn (11.2g)
    • 3 ½ cups air-popped popcorn (4.5g)
    • 2 oz. corn pasta, cooked (7.9g)
    • ½ cup frozen peas, cooked (4.2g)
    • 1 cup spinach (4g)

    You may have to eat 50 stalks of celery each day to get your recommended amount of fiber, or you may prefer to incorporate the suggestions below: 

    1. Add nuts and seeds (sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds) to salads and casseroles, sprinkle them over vegetables, or add them to a stir-fry.  You can also sprinkle them with seasonings and roast them slowly in the oven for a healthy snack.
    2. Add cooked dried beans and shredded carrots to everything from salads to soups, stews, casseroles, meatloaf, or even rice (Note that cooking vegetables does not change their fiber content).
    3. Eat plenty of fruits (especially citrus fruits), berries, prunes, figs or apricots.  Keeping the skins on fruits (and vegetables) will add a small amount of extra fiber, but the skins are the part that are most exposed to pesticides, so unless you are buying organic fruits and vegetables, you may be better off peeling them first.
    4. Snack on popcorn (Air-popped is the healthiest).
    5. Sprinkle raisins on salads, puddings, canned fruit, baked apples, sweet potatoes, cereal, or just eat them plain as a snack.
    6. Add shredded cabbage and peas to salads, soups, wraps, stir-fries, and stews.
    7. Use brown rice or quinoa in place white rice.  
    8. Add shredded apples to pancake batters, quick breads, and yam dishes.  Serve a baked apple for dessert instead of cookies.
    9. Eat a fresh apples, apricots, prunes or oranges instead of drinking their juice.
    10. Add dried cranberries to cereal, quick breads, muffins, cookie batter, yam dishes, and salads.  Make up a bowl of nuts, raisins and dried cranberries for a snack.


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    Recommended Comments

    Guest Joe

    That's all fine but what if you have celiac and diabetes? It kinda limits what you can eat to help you along. It seems as though there is no way out.

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    Guest Peter Finkle

    Posted

    That's all fine but what if you have celiac and diabetes? It kinda limits what you can eat to help you along. It seems as though there is no way out.

    Psyllium husks are a gluten-free high fiber that provide multiple fiber benefits, such as providing extra fiber in the diet, normalizing regularity (for people who have either constipation or loose stools), supporting blood sugar levels within the normal range and supporting the health of the colon. Psyllium husks can be taken as a supplement mixed in juice or water, or added to recipes.

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    Guest celiac and kidney disease

    Posted

    Having both illnesses is really the pits.  This is so tricky that I see a dietitian to help balance  all the limitations I have.  Stage 4 kidney disease causes me to have to limit protein, potassium, sodium, and phosphorus.   You know about celiac limitations.  And weight is an issue with me.   My secret to health is portion control, dietitian, tons of water, and a lot of salads!   Today I’m making celery soup but have to watch portions cause high in sodium !  I take Miralax a couple times a week.  Any other tips or good recipes out there?   I have learned to blanch potatoes to take out some potassium and use a lot of cauliflower, which I like.  But my diet could use some help in variety and interest.   Share with me?

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  • About Me

    Connie Sarros

    Connie Sarros travels the country speaking to celiac support groups.  She has a DVD “All You Wanted to Know About Gluten-free Cooking” and has written the following books:

    • Newly Diagnosed Survival Kit
    • Wheat-free Gluten-free Dessert Cookbook
    • Wheat-free Gluten-free Recipes for Special Diets
    • Wheat-free Gluten-free Reduced Calorie Cookbook
    • Wheat-free Gluten-free Cookbook for Kids and Busy Adults
    • Gluten-free Cooking for Dummies

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