Hemorrhoids and Fiber

Hemorrhoids Fiber

To improve your diet, add foods that contain more dietary fiber. You can include some or all of the following:

Whole-grain foods (such as bran cereals) and breads (made with whole wheat grains). Fresh fruits (including the skin and pulp). Dried or stewed fruits (such as prunes, raisins or apricots). Root vegetables (such as carrots, turnips or potatoes). Raw or fresh vegetables, such as cabbage. (Lettuce is actually low in fiber.)

Eating bran cereal in the morning is often the easiest way to obtain fiber. All-Bran, 100% Bran, Bran Buds, oat bran, oatmeal and Raisin Bran are some of the high-fiber cereals presently available. Bran can cause rumbling intestinal gas and even some mild cramping, so it should be eaten in small amounts at first. The amount can be increased as the body gets used to it. The goal should be one to two large, soft, formed stools a day.

Other dietary rules:

Drink plenty of liquids, including fruit or vegetable juices and water. Drink at least six cups of water or fluid a day. Eat slowly. Chew your food thoroughly. This allows the saliva and digestive juices of the stomach, liver, and pancreas to break down food more easily. It may also help prevent problems from developing in the lower digestive tract. Eat your meals at regular intervals.

It will also help to limit these low or no-fiber foods: ice cream, soft drinks, cheese, white bread, and meat.People who suffer from hemorrhoids should decrease or eliminate alcohol and caffeine, because these can cause small, dry stools.

Fiber Contents of Foods

Goal: 25 to 35 grams per day

Common servings of foods containing dietary fiber are shown below. Increase your intake by including fiber from all sources. (Foods from meat and dairy groups are not good sources.) Foods that are good sources of fiber are also typically low in fat.

Food	Serving Size	Fiber (gm)
All-Bran	1/3 cup	8.5
Bran Buds	1/3 cup	7.9
Bran Chex	2/3 cup	4.6
Cheerios	1 1/4 cup	1.1
Corn Bran	2/3 cup	5.4
Corn Flakes	1 1/4 cup	0.3
Cracklin' Bran	1/3 cup	4.3
Crispy Wheats n' Raisins	3/4 cup	1.3
40% Bran	3/4 cup	4.0
Frosted Mini-Wheats	4 biscuits	2.1
Graham Crackos	3/4 cup	1.7
Gape Nuts	1/4 cup	1.4
Heartland Natural Cereal	1/4 cup	1.3
Honey Bran	7/8 cup	3.1
Most	2/3 cup	3.5
Nutri-Grain, barley	3/4 cup	1.7
Nutri-Grain, corn	3/4 cup	1.8
Nutri-Grain, rye	3/4 cup	1.8
Nutri-Grain, wheat	3/4 cup	1.8
100% Bran	1/2 cup	8.4
100% Natural Cereal	1/4 cup	1.0
Oatmeal, (cooked regular, quick, or instant)	3/4 cup	1.6
Raisin Bran-type	3/4 cup	4.0
Rice Krispies	1 cup	0.1
Shredded Wheat	2/3 cup	2.6
Special K	1 1/3 cup	0.2
Sugar Smacks	3/4 cup	0.4
Tasteeos	1 1/4 cup	1.0
Total	1 cup	2.0
Wheat Chex	2/3 cup	2.1
Wheaties	1 cup	2.0
Wheat n' Raisin Chex	3/4 cup	2.5
Wheat germ	1/4 cup	3.4

Food	Serving Size	Fiber (gm)
Vegetables (cooked):
Asparagus, cut	1/2 cup	1.0
Beans (string, green)	1/2 cup	1.6
Broccoli	1/2 cup	2.2
Brussels sprouts	1/2 cup	2.3
Cabbage (red, white)	1/2 cup	1.4
Carrots	1/2 cup	2.3
Cauliflower	1/2 cup	1.1
Corn, canned	1/2 cup	2.9
Kale leaves	1/2 cup	1.4
Parsnip	1/2 cup	2.7
Peas	1/2 cup	3.6
Potato (with skin)	1	2.5
Potato (without skin)	1	1.4
Spinach	1/2 cup	2.1
Squash, summer	1/2 cup	1.4
Sweet potatoes	1/2	1.7
Turnips	1/2	1.6
Zucchini	1/2 cup	1.8

Food	Serving Size	Fiber (gm)
Vegetables (raw):
Bean sprouts	1/2 cup	1.5
Celery, diced	1/2 cup	1.1
Cucumber	1/2 cup	0.4
Lettuce, sliced	1 cup	0.9
Mushrooms, sliced	1/2 cup	0.9
Onions, sliced	1/2 cup	0.9
Pepper, green, sliced	1/2 cup	0.5
Spinach	1 cup	1.2
Tomato	1	1.5

Food	Serving Size	Fiber (gm)
Fruits:
Apple (with skin)	1	3.5
Apple (without skin)	1	2.7
Apricot	3	1.8
Apricot, dried	5 halves	1.4
banana	1	2.4
Blueberries	1/2 cup	2.0
Cantaloupe	1/4 melon	1.0
Cherries, sweet	10	1.2
Grapefruit	1/2	1.6
Grapes	20	0.6
Orange	1	2.6
Peach (with skin)	1	1.9
Peach (without skin)	1	1.2
Pear (with skin)	1/2 large	3.1
Pear (without skin)	1/2 large	2.5
Pineapple	1/2 cup	1.1
Plums, damson	5	0.9
Prunes	3	3.0
Raisins	1/4 cup	3.1
Raspberries	1/2 cup	3.1
Strawberries	1 cup	3.0
Watermelon	1 cup	0.4

Food	Serving Size	Fiber (gm)
Legumes:
Baked beans/tomato sauce	1/2 cup	8.9
Dried beans, cooked	1/2 cup	4.7
Kidney beans, cooked	1/2 cup	7.3
Lentils, cooked	1/2 cup	7.3
Lima beans, cooked	1/2 cup	4.5
Navy beans, cooked	1/2 cup	6.0

Food	Serving Size	Fiber (gm)
Breads:
Bagels	1	0.6
Bran muffins	1	2.5
Cracked wheat bread	1 slice	1.0
Crisp rye bread	2 crackers	2.0
Crisp wheat bread	2 crackers	1.8
French bread	1 slice	0.7
Italian bread	1 slice	0.3
Mixed grain bread	1 slice	0.9
Oatmeal bread	1 slice	0.5
Pita bread	1 piece	0.4
Pumpernickel bread	1 slice	1.0
Raisin bread	1 slice	0.6
White bread	1 slice	0.4
Whole wheat bread	1 slice	1.4

Food	Serving Size	Fiber (gm)
Pasta and Rice:
Macaroni	1 cup	1.0
Rice, brown	1/2 cup	1.0
Rice, polished	1/2 cup	0.2
Spaghetti, regular	1 cup	1.1
Spaghetti, wheat	1 cup	3.9

Food	Serving Size	Fiber (gm)
Juices:
Apple	1/2 cup	0.4
Grapefruit	1/2 cup	0.5
Grape	1/2 cup	0.6
Orange	1/2 cup	0.5
Papaya	1/2 cup	0.8

Food	Serving Size	Fiber (gm)
Nuts:
Almonds	10 nuts	1.1
Filberts	10 nuts	0.8
Peanuts	10 nuts	1.4
Lentils, cooked	1/2 cup	7.3
Lima beans, cooked	1/2 cup	4.5
Navy beans, cooked	1/2 cup	6.0

Sample Menu
Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner
grapefruit 1/2 oatmeal 3/4 cup raisins 2 Tbsp whole wheat toast 2 slices margarine 2 tsp jelly/jam 2 Tbsp skim milk 1 cup coffee 3/4 cup Snack bran muffin margarine 1tsp orange juice 1/2 cup	vegetable soup 1 cup lean hamburger patty 3 oz multi-grain bun 1 tomato 2 slices lettuce baked beans 1/2 cup medium apple 1 oatmeal cookie 1 skim milk 1 cup	garden salad: lettuce 1 cup cucumber 1/8 cup tomato 1/2 med bean sprouts 1/8 cup salad dressing 2 Tbsp broiled chicken 3 oz brown rice 1/2 cup broccoli with cheese sauce 1/2 cup pumpernickel bread 1 slice margarine 1 tsp strawberries 1/2 cup with plain low-fat yogurt 1/2 cup skim milk 1 cup

This sample diet provides the following:
Calories	2491	Fat	89 gm
Protein	121gm	Sodium	3585 mg
Carbohydrates	318 gm	Fiber	38 gm

Hemorrhoids Fiber