Easy Tips To Include More Fiber In Your Diet
Fiber plays a very important role in a healthy digestive system.
It helps our bodies digest food more quickly and makes it easier to get rid of waste.
Also since our bodies cannot digest fiber, it makes us feel full longer.
On average, people should aim to consume about 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day according to the American Heart Association.
So what are some ways to increase your fiber intake? Learn more about a whole foods diet.
Whole foods are fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Eating more of those and reducing or eliminating processed foods, refined sugars, artificial chemicals, and unhealthy fats can be a way to increase your fiber intake while also helping improve your overall health.
Start by eating more fruits and vegetables.
Juicing these can be a great way to incorporate more fresh produce into your diet but often the wasted pulp is where much of the fiber is.
Another alternative is to use a blender to make smoothies.
You can make "green smoothies" that use juice, ice, leafy greens, and any combinations of fruits and vegetables as a way to drink several servings of fruits and vegetables every day while still keeping all of the fiber.
Dairy based smoothies can be made with low fat, natural milk or yogurt if you cannot stomach the idea of green smoothies.
Remember to use whole foods and limit chemicals and refined sugars in your smoothies.
Try and use natural fruit juice, raw sugar, or natural sweeteners like Stevia to sweeten your smoothies if you need to add any at all.
Start buying beans: lots of beans, a large variety of beans.
Canned beans can get expensive and are usually very high in sodium.
Learning how to soak and hydrate dry beans can be a healthier and cheaper alternative.
They are good for your heart, low in fat, high in fiber, and are as filling as any starch you would normally eat.
They can be a great addition to soups, salads, sauces, or many other meal ideas.
When buying foods that are high in whole grains, be sure that they are actually high in whole grains.
Often breads that say "whole grain" have less than 2 percent whole grain in them.
Look at the ingredients list.
Find foods that start with a whole, rather than refined grain.
Also look for higher fiber content in true "whole grain" foods.
Begin the day with a high fiber breakfast.
Rolled oats, whole grain cereals, an apple and other fruits, and nuts are all foods that can kick start your digestive system in the morning.
Use high fiber foods as snacks.
Rather than a candy bar, pack an apple or carrots sticks into your lunch.
Throw in a serving of nuts or fiber rich seeds for a late afternoon snack to get you through the day.
Learn how to cook with fruits and vegetables.
Raw produce is best for fiber and antioxidants but cooked is better than nothing.
Learning how to use more fruits and vegetables will allow you to have more variety and stick to a healthy diet.
Produce also has the added benefit of generally being cheaper than meat.
High fiber diets foods do not have to taste like cardboard or shredded wheat.
Fresh and natural foods often have plenty of fiber for our digestive systems.
Learning how to eat more of these whole foods will help in many areas, especially with digestion.
It helps our bodies digest food more quickly and makes it easier to get rid of waste.
Also since our bodies cannot digest fiber, it makes us feel full longer.
On average, people should aim to consume about 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day according to the American Heart Association.
So what are some ways to increase your fiber intake? Learn more about a whole foods diet.
Whole foods are fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Eating more of those and reducing or eliminating processed foods, refined sugars, artificial chemicals, and unhealthy fats can be a way to increase your fiber intake while also helping improve your overall health.
Start by eating more fruits and vegetables.
Juicing these can be a great way to incorporate more fresh produce into your diet but often the wasted pulp is where much of the fiber is.
Another alternative is to use a blender to make smoothies.
You can make "green smoothies" that use juice, ice, leafy greens, and any combinations of fruits and vegetables as a way to drink several servings of fruits and vegetables every day while still keeping all of the fiber.
Dairy based smoothies can be made with low fat, natural milk or yogurt if you cannot stomach the idea of green smoothies.
Remember to use whole foods and limit chemicals and refined sugars in your smoothies.
Try and use natural fruit juice, raw sugar, or natural sweeteners like Stevia to sweeten your smoothies if you need to add any at all.
Start buying beans: lots of beans, a large variety of beans.
Canned beans can get expensive and are usually very high in sodium.
Learning how to soak and hydrate dry beans can be a healthier and cheaper alternative.
They are good for your heart, low in fat, high in fiber, and are as filling as any starch you would normally eat.
They can be a great addition to soups, salads, sauces, or many other meal ideas.
When buying foods that are high in whole grains, be sure that they are actually high in whole grains.
Often breads that say "whole grain" have less than 2 percent whole grain in them.
Look at the ingredients list.
Find foods that start with a whole, rather than refined grain.
Also look for higher fiber content in true "whole grain" foods.
Begin the day with a high fiber breakfast.
Rolled oats, whole grain cereals, an apple and other fruits, and nuts are all foods that can kick start your digestive system in the morning.
Use high fiber foods as snacks.
Rather than a candy bar, pack an apple or carrots sticks into your lunch.
Throw in a serving of nuts or fiber rich seeds for a late afternoon snack to get you through the day.
Learn how to cook with fruits and vegetables.
Raw produce is best for fiber and antioxidants but cooked is better than nothing.
Learning how to use more fruits and vegetables will allow you to have more variety and stick to a healthy diet.
Produce also has the added benefit of generally being cheaper than meat.
High fiber diets foods do not have to taste like cardboard or shredded wheat.
Fresh and natural foods often have plenty of fiber for our digestive systems.
Learning how to eat more of these whole foods will help in many areas, especially with digestion.
