Easy Ways To Add Fiber Into Your Diet
What is fiber?
Dietary fiber is a plant-based nutrient that is sometimes called roughage or bulk. It is a type of carbohydrate but, unlike other carbs, it cannot be broken down into digestible sugar molecules. Therefore, fiber passes through the intestinal tract relatively intact. Even though fiber cannot be digested, it is being moved down the digestive tract as nutrients are being digested, and can do some great things that positively impact our health.
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Soluble vs insoluble fiber
There are two types of fibers that we can intake, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and slows down digestive time, while also lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Both categories have fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts. Whether the food is dissolvable in water or not is the reasoning behind its category placement. Foods that fall under the soluble fiber category include:
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Avocados
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Sweet Potatoes
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Oranges
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Oats
Insoluble fiber on the other hand, does not dissolve in water and speeds up the passage of food through the digestive system, making it easier on our bodies to pass stool. Foods that fall under the insoluble fiber category include:
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Barley
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Zucchini
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Brown Rice
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Rye
Fiber supplements
First things first, if you can consume fiber from whole food sources, this is the best possible option. Eating whole foods as your main source of fiber instead of supplements promotes a healthy relationship with food, encourages cooking healthy, and challenges you to practice what you’re learning right now.
Fiber supplements really should be a last resort after you’ve exhausted consuming whole food rich in fiber and/or if you have a health condition per your doctor that requires you to consume them frequently.
The benefits of fiber
A high fiber rich diet can be beneficial to your entire body; from heart health to digestion ease. It aids your body in absorbing nutrients from food and eliminating toxins. It fills you up and helps you maintain more consistent energy levels. The benefits of a fiber rich diet are endless, and over time can even help you live longer. The following are some of the benefits fiber can have on your body.
Reducing cholesterol
Fiber’s presence in your digestive track can actually help to reduce your body’s cholesterol absorption. This is especially true if you take statins, which are medications to lower cholesterol. Fiber can also help with your cholesterol is you use fiber supplements like psyllium fiber.
Promoting healthy weight
High fiber foods, like fruits and vegetables, tend to be lower in calories. So including fruits and vegetables into your diet will not only give you the fiber you need, but it’s low in calories as well. Also, fiber’s presence can slow the digestion process in your stomach to help you feel fuller for longer.
Promoting blood sugar control
An increase in fiber intake can reduce blood glucose levels during the standard fasting blood glucose test, which is the blood sugar test taken the morning after an overnight fasting. A high fiber diet can also lower the glycated hemoglobin levels, which occurs when proteins in the blood mix with blood sugar. Glycated hemoglobin is associated with an increased risk of diabetic complications, so a high fiber rich diet can help decrease these complications.
Easy ways to add fiber to your diet
Swap mayo for avocado in sandwiches
Every sandwich needs a creamy counterpart, so why not choose a topping that's good for you? Just half of an avocado contains 4.6 grams of fiber. Its satiating powers are so potent that people who add half a fresh avocado to their meal typically see a 40 percent decreased desire to eat for hours afterward. And unlike mayo, which is virtually void of nutrients, this egg-shaped fruit is packed with healthy fats as well as aids the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients like vitamins A, D, K and E.
Add bulgur to salads
Take your salad to the next level by adding a crunch factor with cooked bulgur. Just a cup of the stuff packs in 150 calories and a whopping 8 grams of fiber. The Mediterranean staple is also a wonderful replacement to your mundane side of toast or scoop of quinoa.
Put chia and flax seeds in your oatmeal
A mere tablespoon of flaxseeds contains 2.8 grams of satiating fiber. In fact, this superfood is the richest plant source of omega-3 fats, which defend against inflammation, mood swings, heart disease, and diabetes. Their equally crunchy sibling, chia seeds, have almost double the fiber, clocking in at 5 grams per tablespoon. You can also add the stuff to oatmeal, cereal, and yogurt.
Add some almonds to your cereal
Rather than drizzling lackluster cereal or overnight oats with honey, cut back on added sugars and dial up on extra crunch by tossing a pinch of sliced almonds into your bowl. A mere ounce of this nutritious nut packs in 15 percent of your daily-recommended fiber amount. Not to mention, these slightly sweet nuts are a solid source of magnesium and iron, which most Americans need more of.
Swap out your side dishes for beans
Bet you didn't know that cooked navy beans and black beans are fiber superstars. The former contains 9.5 grams per half a cup and the latter 7.5 grams per half a cup. What's more, they're loaded with muscle-building protein, which makes these creamy legumes perfect weight loss tools. Just cook the beans until tender and keep 'em whole or mash them for a delicious and fat-frying accompaniment to your favorite meals.
Have figs for dessert
Figs should be one of your favorite fruits, and if they aren't, you're about to be convinced. Besides for being scrumptiously sweet, munching on four of these purple orbs pack in almost 8 grams of fiber. Plus, they're a superb source of anemia-fighting iron, and they're rich in antioxidants as well as help stabilize blood sugar and triglyceride levels. Always choose fresh over dried figs since the latter contain more sugar.
Is a fiber rich diet beneficial?
A high fiber rich diet can be beneficial to your entire body; from heart health to digestion ease. It aids your body in absorbing nutrients from food and eliminating toxins. It fills you up and helps you maintain more consistent energy levels. The benefits of a fiber rich diet are endless, and over time can even help you live longer. The following are some of the benefits fiber can have on your body.
Digestion & IBS
Dietary fiber aids in improving digestion by increasing stool bulk and regularity, and by adding about 20-35 grams a day will help build your stool to aid in its movement through your bowels. Drinking lots of water will also help improve your digestive system. Fiber works best when it absorbs water, making your stool soft and bulky.
However, those who experience IBS should be cautious of adding this much fiber to their diet. So if you experience IBS symptoms, try to focus more on fruits and vegetables rather than grains. It also might be beneficial to take an anti-diarrheal medication 30 minutes before the fiber to reduce the possible side-effects.
Blood sugar regulation
An increase in fiber intake can reduce blood glucose levels during the standard fasting blood glucose test, which is the blood sugar test taken the morning after an overnight fasting.
A high fiber diet can also lower the glycated hemoglobin levels, which occurs when proteins in the blood mix with blood sugar. Glycated hemoglobin is associated with an increased risk of diabetic complications, so a high fiber rich diet can help decrease these complications.
Eating satisfaction
High-fiber foods tend to be more filling than low-fiber foods, so you're likely to eat less and stay satisfied longer. In addition, high-fiber foods tend to take longer to eat and have fewer calories for the same volume other foods have.
How to integrate fiber into your diet
Only 3% of Americans get their recommended amount of fiber daily. For women, it’s recommended to take in about 25 grams per day and for men to take in around 30-35 grams per day. While that might seem difficult at first, there are a variety of options from fruits and vegetables to quinoa and lentils that contain high amounts of fiber. And increasing the amount of fiber you take into your body could be a lot easier than you would imagine.
However it’s important to take it slow and remember too much of any one thing isn’t always the best approach. You may make the mistake of eating too many leaves, vegetables, and fruit, but not enough grains and pulses, which are the fibers that will keep you full. Or you could dive into it and add too much fiber too fast, which leads to excessive gas, bloating, and general discomfort.
Here are 4 easy ways to get fiber into your diet and your body:
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Replace refined grains, like white rice, with whole grains. (Brown rice, quinoa, chickpeas, lentils)
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Eat more high fiber fruits. (Eat them with the skin on to get the maximum amount of fiber)
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Add more pulses, the seeds of plants in the legume family, to your diet at least 3 times a week. (Beans, lentils, peas)
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Eat Avocados. (Just half of an avocado has 5 grams of fiber in it)
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Make sure you're filling up on enough fiber, with the daily recommended amount is 25 to 38 grams a day. The first step is to stock your pantry and fridge with a few fiber-rich foods so you can have them on hand for your meals. With practice, you’ll be easily able to recall which fiber-rich foods are easy to add to different types of meals!
Extra tips about fiber
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When incorporating more fiber into your diet, start slowly by adding 5 grams a day for the first two weeks, and then slowly start to incorporate more into your diet.
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If consumed too fast or in excess, fiber can cause bloating, cramps and even diarrhea. Let your body get used to having more fiber.
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People on a low-fiber diet should avoid high-fiber foods that make the intestinal tract work harder, like legumes, beans, whole grains and many raw or fried vegetables and fruits.
