Tips for Boosting Your Fiber Intake

Have you been hearing about fiber a lot lately? Most Americans are not getting the recommended intake for fiber, which can be preventative against diseases like diabetes, diverticulitis and certain types of cancer. Low fiber intake is mainly related to the fact that many do not consume enough fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

What is Fiber?
Dietary fiber is the indigestible component of plant foods, while functional fibers are isolated non-digestible carbohydrates that can be extracted from natural sources or manufactured synthetically and added to foods/supplements. There are two types of fiber that can be found in food sources: soluble (which absorb water during digestion) and insoluble fiber (which remain unchanged during digestion). Soluble fiber is found in foods like oats, barley, beans, peas, nuts, seeds, citrus fruits, apples, and carrots. Soluble fiber may help to lower cholesterol, reduce your risk of heart disease, and regulate blood sugar levels. Insoluble fiber is found in foods like seeds, vegetables, whole grains, and the skins of fruit. Insoluble fiber aids the digestive system in maintaining regularity and may reduce the risk of colon cancer.

What is the Recommendation?
As per the new 2015 Dietary Guidelines, the recommended fiber intake for women ages 19-30 years old is 28g per day and for males 34g per day. Aiming for about 3-4 servings of fruit and 4-5 servings of vegetables each day can help you to boost your fiber intake to the recommended values.

Top 10 Ways to Increase Fiber (Without Supplements)
1. Read food labels and look for products with at least 3g of fiber per serving.
2. Eat whole fruit over juices. Juices are stripped of their fiber and antioxidant content.
3. Substitute meat dishes (chili, soups, stir-fries) with beans! One-half cup of chickpeas has 8g of fiber!
4. Choose whole grain varieties over refined counterparts (i.e. 100% whole wheat pasta for white).
5. Swap white rice (0g fiber) for quinoa (1/2 cup = 2.5g fiber).

6. Snack on fresh fruits like oranges, which have 3g of fiber and raspberries, which have 8g of fiber per cup.

7. Keep the skins on your fruits and veggies when possible to retain all of the fiber. A medium sweet potato with the skin on contains 4g of fiber!

8. Power-up your breakfast with oatmeal (1/2 cup dry = 4g fiber) + nuts (1-ounce almonds = 3.5g fiber) + flax or chia seeds (1 tablespoon = 4g fiber) + fresh fruit. 

9. Power-up salads with fresh veggies, beans, and seeds.
10. Power-up sandwiches by choosing a high-fiber bread and topping with avocado (1/2 cup = 5g fiber) instead of mayo.

While it may seem impossible to get enough fiber in the day, you can start by making simple swaps. Try using whole grain bread versus white or swapping in spiralized zucchini for a pasta base. Making small changes can help you to form new and healthy habits. One thing to remember when increasing your fiber intake is to drink plenty of fluids. Also, increase your intake slowly to avoid GI discomfort.


Reference: https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/resources/2015-2020_Dietary_Guidelines.pdf

Fiber

The buzz word today is fiber! But what exactly does that little word mean for health?

Let's start off with explaining what fiber is. Dietary fiber, aka roughage, includes all parts of plant foods that your body can't digest or absorb. If it isn't absorbed, is there a point to eating it? Well, I am glad you asked! Fiber is best known for its ability to prevent or relieve constipation. It is also important in helping to maintain weight and decrease your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cholesterol.

Fiber helps in weight loss?? Why yes it does! High-fiber foods generally require more chewing, which leads to less food intake, which leads to less overeating (generally speaking of course). Also, fiber keeps you fuller for longer, thus curbing your afternoon munchies.

Where do you find this magical fiber? It is simple! Dietary fiber is found mainly in fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Soluble fiber, dissolves in water, is found in oats, peas, apples, carrots, etc. Insoluble fiber, does not dissolve in water, is found in nuts, beans, cauliflower, and potatoes. You may want to stray from processed grains because the bran is stripped from the grain, thus lowering the fiber content. Also, keep your skin on your fruits and vegetables because that is where the majority of fiber lies.

Women under 50 years old should eat about 38 grams of fiber and men under 50 years old should eat about 25 grams of fiber. Women over 51 years need 30 grams, while men need about 21 grams (Institute of Medicine). Eating more than recommended can be beneficial; however, you might want to check-in with your bowels before doing so.

So, toss together that afternoon fiber attack with some carrots or an apple and keep your digestive system in check!