10 Tips For Increasing Fiber In Your Diet
Fiber is a carbohydrate that cannot be digested by the body. Because it is resistant to digestion, fiber provides no nutrients to the body. In truth, fiber is an important part of a healthy diet. It helps to maintain regularity by adding bulk to stools and drawing water into the digestive track.
Fiber can also reduce cholesterol levels and decrease the risk of heart disease. And, according to recent findings, a high-fiber diet may help reduce high blood pressure as well. The recommended daily allowance for women under the age of 50 is 25 grams.
So what are you waiting for? Bulk up with these 10 tips for increasing your fiber intake.
1. Start slowly, add a little each day and build up to the recommended level. Simultaneously, add more water to your diet.
2. Eat vegetables and fruit raw whenever possible. Boiling them too long, for example, can cause up to one-half of the fiber to be lost in the water. Steam or stir-fry them if you have to cook.
3. Pureeing does not destroy fiber, but juice does not have the fiber of the whole fruit if the pulp has been strained away.
4. Always start the day with a bowl of high-fiber cereal - one that has five or more grams per serving.
5. Put fresh fruit on top of your high-fiber cereal to add another 1g or 2g of fiber.
6. Buy and eat whole grains. The operative word is "whole". Look for it on the ingredient panel. Wheat bread does not mean whole-wheat bread. On average, a slice of whole-wheat bread has 2g to 3g of fiber. Choose whole-wheat pasta instead of white, etc.
7. Add beans to salads, soups and stews.
8. Add bran to muffins, breads and casseroles. Substitute oat bran for one-third of the all-purpose flour in baking.
9. When you eat out, ask for fresh fruit instead of dessert.
10. Have fruit or fresh vegetables for between-meal snacks.
- 10 Tips For Increasing Fiber In Your Diet
