Eating more Fiber
Wednesday May 3rd
You know how much I love the topic of fiber! It not the most exciting topic and yet the effect it can have on health is incredible. Most people coming into my clinic are not eating enough fiber and when they start making changes in their fiber content then notice such changes.
The Mayo Institute have the following guide to fiber: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-fiber-diet/MY01154
Why eat a high-fiber diet?
A high-fiber diet has many benefits, including normalizing bowel movements, helping maintain bowel integrity and health, lowering blood cholesterol levels, and helping control blood sugar levels. A high-fiber diet can also aid in weight loss. This guide shows how easy it is to create an appealing high-fiber diet.
How much fiber do you need to achieve these results? The chart below shows the recommendations for adults from the Institute of Medicine, which provides science-based advice on matters of medicine and health.
Daily fiber intake
| Age 50 or younger | Age 51 or older | |
|---|---|---|
| Men | 38 grams | 30 grams |
| Women | 25 grams | 21 grams |
Jump-start your day
Start your day with a high-fiber breakfast cereal — one with 5 or more grams of fiber a serving. Look for cereals with "bran" or "fiber" in the name, ones that are naturally high in fiber are oats, brown rice puffs, quinoa or millet porridge. Then add some fruit, such as berries. In fact, it's a good strategy to have fruit with every meal
Keep the momentum going at lunch
An easy way to bump up the fiber in your diet is to include more beans and legumes. At 15 grams of fiber, this tasty black bean burger is a smart alternative to a beef burger. Add a piece of fruit, such as an orange, for another 3 grams of fiber. Another easy fiber-boosting option is adding beans to salads and soups.
Pack a punch with dinner
As you plan dinner, keep in mind that fruits and vegetables should be about half of your meal. The other half should be split between lean protein and whole grains. Salads are an easy way to accomplish this. This grilled flank steak salad with roasted corn vinaigrette has 10 grams of fiber. But if eating raw veggies isn't your thing, try adding cooked ones to sauces, soups and stews. For example, toss sauteed vegetables into your spaghetti. Have some fruit for dessert to boost the fiber count.
Don't forget the snacks
Make your snacks count. Of course, fresh fruits and vegetables are high-fiber snack options, but so are nuts and low-fat popcorn.
The building blocks are yours...
2 thoughts on “Eating more Fiber”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Hey Jenny
I’m just seeing too much evidence to suggest that we are not eating enough good quality naturally high fibre foods. When I mean naturally high fibre I mean fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds, beans and lentils and whole grains. The benefit of eating these food is that there are also a whole heaps of other nutrients, such as anti-oxidants, essential fatty acids, proteins and carbohydrates in these foods.
What I find is that people who come into taking fibre supplements or fibre cereal like bran are not getting as many benefits. They are ‘filling up’ on nutritionally poor foods (bran cereal very often contain added sugar and salt!) and not getting all of the added benefits.
I’m always doing back to whole foods as the best source for all your daily needs.
Hope this helps
Lucy
Of course. I’m really trying to spread the word in terms of healthy eating and living so pass on the information to anyone you feel would benefit. Yes, please do mention the blog title and URL - great. Happy healthy eating, Lucy