How often do you consume fiber-rich foods? Like most Americans, the answer is not enough. According to the American College of Physicians, only 1 out of 10 Americans include enough fiber in their meals.
Find yourself suffering from constipation or diarrhea? Then you probably are not consuming enough daily fiber. The recommended dosage is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men daily, if you are under these numbers, don’t worry there are easy fixes!
Not only will fiber help your digestion, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, foods rich in fiber help reduce the risk factors of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity! Now let’s get started on adding fiber to your daily diet with these 5 easy solutions.
Whole Grains
In the morning, fill up your fiber quota with a Cheerios or a fiber rich breakfast bar like this delicious banana walnut peanut butter bar by Outright. An alternative would be some oatmeal or whole-grain bread with avocado. If you don’t meet your fiber goals in the morning, there is always a chance at lunch and dinner with whole wheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa seeds, sorghum, or freekeh!
Have Vegetables First and Often
If you get your fiber intake from vegetables then it’s a win win! As we know they help fight and lower the risk factor of getting a chronic disease, but they can also help keep your digestive system on track. Strive to eat veggies every day, maybe pick a salad or some soup for lunch, instead of that leftover pizza.
Pop Some Corn
That’s right, your favorite movie snack is a great source of fiber! Popcorn is a perfect whole-grain snack offering four grams of fiber per ounce! Just be cautious when adding all that salt and butter, the fiber is great, but the additives can have their own dangers. You can always try a protein popcorn, like this chocolate peanut butter flavored one from ALLMAX if you’re not ready to give up your delicious toppings!
Get Fruity
The next time you are enjoying your fatty foods or protein, include a bowl of assorted fruits on the side. The fiber in fruits, such as bananas, a perennial favorite, contains 3 grams of fiber and is the perfect snack for in between meals. Wanting to add more fruits to your main course meals? Apples and avocados are great fiber rich fruits to get the job done!
Nutty Professor
Almonds, pecans, and peanuts are perfect for getting your fiber intake on the check. For example, a cup of pecan gives you the recommended fiber dosage daily. Nuts are also an easy food item to add to most meals or have as a snack! Now unsalted raw energy nut mix makes for the perfect on-the-go treat and you can always add in smaller amounts at a time from items like NutraKey chia seed.
Fiber is an essential part of your meals, and getting enough protects your body from being irregular and from risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Just be mindful of how much daily intake you have and add more fiber as needed.
