Junk food is also fiber depleted. The diseases listed above are more likely to occur with low-fiber diets. Western diets generally provide approximately 10 grams of fiber per day. Beans , a good source of soluble fiber, also contain special sugars that are often poorly digested, leading to gas. Special enzyme products are now available in supermarkets to reduce this problem by improving digestion of these sugars.
Fiber reduces the absorption of most minerals.
To minimize this effect, multimineral supplements should not be taken at the same time as a high-fiber meal. Bran, an insoluble fiber, reduces the absorption of calcium enough to cause urinary calcium to fall. As a result of this interaction, kidney stones can sometimes be prevented simply by incorporating one-half ounce of bran per day into the diet. For those people, supplementing with bran might deprive them of much-needed calcium. Although a gradual introduction of fiber in the diet may improve bowel symptoms in some cases, there have been several reports of individuals with scleroderma developing severe constipation and even bowel obstruction requiring hospitalization after fiber supplementation.