Quick and Easy Tips to Increase Fiber Consumption
It’s no secret that most Americans don’t eat enough fiber. The recommended daily intake is 14 grams(g)/ 1000 calories which equates to ~25g/day for women and ~35g/day for men.
Why should we worry about consuming fiber? Well, fiber can improve our health and quality of life in a number of ways. Fiber contributes to a feeling of fullness following consumption which promotes a healthy weight (a useful weight loss strategy). Fiber can also help to lower cholesterol, improve constipation and other gastrointestinal complications, and finally, control glucose levels. New research is revealing that the benefits of fiber is far and wide!
Sources of Fiber
Fiber is naturally found in plants. This includes:
- Fruits and Vegetables
- Beans and Lentils
- Whole Grains
- Nuts and Seeds
How can you increase you fiber consumption? Consuming more of the above foods is obvious, but you may be thinking it will be difficult to incorporate more of those foods into your eating pattern. It doesn’t have to be!
Easy high fiber swaps and additions:
1. Swap refined grains with whole grains or whole wheat
- Whole grain bread instead of white bread
- Whole grain pasta (even chickpea pasta) instead of refined, traditional pasta
- Brown rice instead of white
- Whole grain breakfast cereal (look for lower added sugar content too)
- Basically any time you consume grains look for whole grain or whole wheat!
2. Add fruit, vegetables, and nuts and seeds everywhere you can:
-
- Apples, berries, and/or seeds to your salads
- A piece of fruit for dessert
- Chia seeds in your smoothie
- Cashews in your stir-fry
3. Have a legume meal at least once a week like:
-
- Chili
- Lentil soup
- Add chickpeas or black beans to your pasta dish
- Hummus and carrots as a snack
I have endless suggestions to increase your fiber consumption, so leave a comment with questions or contact me personally! 🙂
References
1. Sizer FS, Whitney E. Nutrition concepts and controversies. 13 ed. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning; 2014.
