Fiber
One of the most important nutrients, it's also one of the easiest to leave out of a diet. Dietary fiber is found in foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. It is great for lowering your risk of diabetes, heart disease, some types of cancer, and constipation. It also helps regulate your blood sugar, which can prevent feelings of dizziness or fatigue.
So what is fiber?
Fiber includes parts of plant foods your body cannot digest or absorb. They are unlike other food components, which your body breaks down and absorbs. Fiber passes through your stomach, small intestine, and colon pretty much intact before it leaves your body.
Soluble fiber dissolves in water. It helps lower cholesterol and glucose levels. Foods like oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, and barley are high in this type of fiber. Insoluble fiber encourages food to move through your digestive system and helps with constipation or irregular bathroom habits. Things like whole wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts, beans and veggies are high in this other type of fiber.
How much do I need and where do I get it?
This is a question for your doctor! Generally, just working to increase the fiber in your diet can have an amazing effect, which is what I'm currently working on. When working towards a high fiber diet, avoid refined/processed foods for sources of fiber. White breads and pastas, canned fruits and veggies, juices, and non-whole grain cereals lack fiber. The grain refining process these foods go through before they get put on the shelves in the grocery store removes the outer coat (bran) from the grain, which reduces its fiber content. Some of these foods are enriched to put the B-vitamins and iron back post-refining, but it does not include replacing the fiber.
If you're trying to implement more fiber, there are some suggestions that might help increase that intake!
- Choose a breakfast that's high fiber. Cereals with bran and whole grains are your easiest choices here!
- Switch your refined grains to whole grains. Brown rice instead of white rice, whole grain bread instead of white bread!
- Up your legume intake. Beans, peas, and lentils are all GREAT sources of fiber.
- Increase your fruits and vegetables. This one is beneficial for a lot more than just fiber!
- When you snack, try to implement fiber. Fresh fruits, raw veggies, popcorn, and whole grain crackers are great choices! Even nuts and dried fruit can be a high fiber snack.
Okay, but like... What foods are high in fiber? Can you give me a cheat sheet?
- Avocado (10 grams per cup)
- Apples (~4 grams per apple)
- Edamame (9 grams per 1/2 cup)
- Potatoes (~3 grams per small potato)
- Brussel Sprouts (4 grams per cup)
- Broccoli (5 grams per cup)
- Cauliflower (2.5 grams per cup)
- Dried Fruits & Nuts
- Carrots (3 grams per cup)
- Blueberries (4 grams per cup) and other berries
...are some great sources of fiber!
Remember, adding too much fiber too quickly can cause intestinal distress. If you're new to this, try introducing it slowly to ease your body into it! Also, don't forget to drink water. Fiber's best friend is water! Lastly, I am not a doctor or a nutritional expert. This is information I have gathered for my own benefit and to inform my decisions. If you have any questions, concerns, or anything of that nature, please reach out to your general practitioner for more information.
Much love,
LadySpark