7 Ways to Get More Fiber in Your Diet
Fiber is a great helper in weight loss for a few reasons: first, it helps slow the rate at which sugar is absorbed into your bloodstream, which can prevent rapid rises in blood glucose. Secondly, it helps you feel more satisfied even if you are eating less than you normally do. Last but not least, fiber promotes regular elimination, helping you to release toxins and keep your digestive system in top working order.
Here are 7 easy ways to get more fiber in your diet:
#1 – Snack on raw veggies
Raw vegetables like broccoli, spinach, avocado and tomatoes are high in fiber, and they make easy, delicious snacks. Try snacking on a handful of grape tomatoes, or dip raw broccoli florets into salad dressing. You can also enjoy a spinach leaf salad and cube some avocado on top.
#2 – Eat more fruit
Some fruits are loaded with fiber too – try apples, pears, bananas, figs, and strawberries. Eat them for breakfast or as a snack at mid-morning or mid-afternoon.
#3 – Whole grains
Some of the best choices for whole grains are breads and cereals. Try multi-grain bread for sandwiches, and whole grain cereal for breakfast.
#4 – Beans
Beans are another good way to get more fiber, as each one cup serving can contain nearly 20 grams of fiber!
#5 – Oatmeal
Oatmeal is an excellent high-fiber food with many other health benefits, and you don’t have to have it just for breakfast – you can mix it into a fruit smoothie or even have it for a mid-morning snack with a handful of berries sprinkled on top.
#6 – Brown rice
If you usually eat white rice, you may want to switch to brown – simply because you can boost your fiber intake by a couple of grams for each half-cup serving. Likewise with pasta – a one-cup serving of whole wheat pasta contains 5 grams of fiber.
#7 – Fiber supplements
If you still feel like you’re not getting enough fiber, consider taking a fiber supplement. Usually they come in powder form that you mix with water, and sometimes they are flavored. Others are tasteless and can be mixed into any wet food and will dissolve instantly. They also come in capsule form.
One word of warning: avoid increasing your fiber intake too dramatically because most often you will experience some unpleasant digestive symptoms like gas and diarrhea. If you currently eat little fiber, increase your intake gradually, adding perhaps 5 grams daily for each week until you are at the recommended 25 grams daily.
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July 23, 2010
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Posted by John Ross
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