Whenever I say the word Fiber, I hear groans, stories of bran, grape nuts and chewing on tree bark.
Not a good thing.
Unfortunately for all of us, our bodies need fiber and I don’t mean need in a “it would be really nice to have but it wouldn’t be catastrophic without it” kind of way but in a bells ringing, alarms going off, desperate need kind of way.
So we need to learn how we can make peace with fiber and actually find fun and delicious ways to incorporate more fiber into our diets without spending all day on the toilet.
Because you’ll potentially run the risk of that if you don’t think fiber consumption through.
Fair warning.
So why is it so important? Why do we need fiber? What does our body do with fiber that makes it such a necessity?
Put simply, fiber keeps us honest. Whatever we put in our body leaves our body through digestion, assimilation and eventually elimination. Elimination means poop. If we do not have enough or any fiber in our diet, we don’t poop and therefore, nothing is able to leave our body through the anticipated way.
This is not a good thing. Imagine clogged pipes and you’re getting just the beginning of our situation if we live in a world with not enough fiber.
Fiber also protects us from high cholesterol, heart disease, digestive issues and in some cases, diseases of the colon. But for all of us, it encourages weight loss and stable blood sugar levels.
This is the point where fiber starts to look really good.
So how do we get more fiber into our diet?
The top 10 ways to get more fiber into your diet are:
1. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Think apples, celery or broccoli for starters
2. Beans, beans, they’re good for your heart… Use beans as a healthy high fiber, low fat and nutrient dense side dish instead of a regular white pasta.
3. Look for “Whole Grain” foods and not just the ones that say so on the bag. Read the nutrition label, make sure that the 1st ingredient is a whole grain
4. Switch gently from low fiber ingredients to higher fiber ingredients. Most switches will be a lateral shift such as white bread to whole wheat bread, fruit juice to a whole piece of fruit, jams or jellies to nut butters white rice to brown or red rice, and so on
5. Start your day off with a fiber rich breakfast. Oatmeal is a great option and you can up the ante by using steel cut oats and adding in apple pieces, raisins, walnuts or other fruits you enjoy.
6. When choosing snacks, opt for ones with fiber such as nuts, seeds, fresh or dried fruit, whole grain crackers served with nut butter, fresh vegetables like carrots or celery, even a trail mix would be a good option
7. Be sneaky. Add in fruit, vegetables, beans or whole grain ingredients to your cooking. Soups, stews and stir-frys are great ways to incorporate a lot of high fiber ingredients that you enjoy without the “I’m eating a lot of fiber because it’s good for me but I don’t like the taste” feeling
8. Start with a salad or have one as a meal. Greens are a great way to add in fiber without looking like fiber. Add your choice of fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, seeds or nuts for not only taste but also the nutritional benefit- vitamins, minerals & fiber!
9. Use beans or legumes are your main protein sources for some meals throughout the week. Experiment with ones you already like and combine them with other ingredients to make a complete meal
10. Drink your fiber by adding in fiber-rich ingredients to your smoothies or shakes. Think flax seeds, chia seeds, or wheat germ. Or better yet, add in the whole fruit after its been cut up rather than just its juice to increase the fiber. For example, a whole orange, minus the rind, is very high in fiber. Orange juice, not so much.
