Are you getting enough fiber in your diet? Most people fall short of the recommended daily intake of 25-30 grams. Fiber is a crucial nutrient that keeps your digestive system healthy, helps control blood sugar, and can even aid in weight loss. If you're looking to boost your fiber consumption, here are some easy and delicious ways to get more fiber into your meals and snacks.
Why is Fiber Important?
Dietary fiber, found mainly in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, is probably best known for its ability to prevent or relieve constipation. But fiber offers many other health benefits as well:
Helps maintain bowel health: A high-fiber diet may lower your risk of developing hemorrhoids and small pouches in your colon (diverticular disease).
Lowers cholesterol levels: Soluble fiber found in beans, oats, flaxseed and oat bran may help lower total blood cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoprotein, or "bad," cholesterol levels.
Helps control blood sugar levels: Fiber, particularly soluble fiber, can slow the absorption of sugar and help improve blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. A healthy diet that includes insoluble fiber may also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Aids in achieving healthy weight: High-fiber foods tend to be more filling than low-fiber foods, so you're likely to eat less and stay satisfied longer. Also, high-fiber foods tend to take longer to eat and to be less "energy dense," which means they have fewer calories for the same volume of food.
Easy Ways to Increase Your Fiber Intake
Now that you know the benefits of fiber, let's look at some simple strategies to get more of it in your diet:
Eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juices. Whole fruits like apples, bananas and oranges have more fiber than a glass of fruit juice. Aim to eat at least 2 servings of fruit per day. Try adding sliced fruit to your morning cereal or yogurt, pack an apple or banana for a portable snack, or enjoy a fruit salad for dessert.
Replace white rice, bread, and pasta with brown rice and whole grain products. Whole grains provide more fiber, as well as more vitamins and minerals, than refined grains. Look for "100% whole wheat" or "100% whole grain" on the label. Good options include:
Whole wheat bread, bagels, English muffins, and tortillas
Whole wheat pasta
Brown rice, wild rice, or quinoa
Oatmeal or whole grain breakfast cereals
Choose high-fiber snacks. Instead of chips or cookies, snack on fresh fruits, raw vegetables, low-fat popcorn, or a small handful of nuts or seeds. Other high-fiber snacks include whole grain crackers with nut butter or hummus, yogurt topped with granola or muesli, or homemade trail mix with nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.
Eat more beans, peas and lentils. Add kidney beans to canned soup or a green salad. Or make nachos with refried black beans, lots of fresh veggies, whole-wheat tortilla chips and salsa. Legumes are some of the best sources of fiber:
1/2 cup cooked black beans: 6-8 grams fiber
1/2 cup cooked lentils: 8 grams fiber
1/2 cup cooked chickpeas: 6 grams fiber
Eat your veggies. Most vegetables are high in fiber, another good reason to include more in your daily diet. Frozen or canned vegetables are fine — choose ones without added salt, butter or cream sauces. Aim to eat at least 3 to 5 servings a day. Examples of high-fiber veggies include:
Artichokes
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Carrots
Green peas
Spinach
Sweet corn
Sweet potatoes
Have fruit or vegetables with every meal. Aim to fill half your plate with fruits and veggies at each meal. They are nutritious, filling, and packed with fiber. Slice bananas on top of your breakfast cereal, have a salad with lunch, and include a vegetable side dish with dinner. The skins of fruits and veggies have a lot of fiber, so eat the peel when possible.
Make your own smoothies. Blend fresh or frozen fruit with low-fat milk or yogurt and a handful of spinach or kale for an easy, delicious way to increase your fiber intake. You can also add chia seeds, flaxseed meal or oat bran for an extra fiber boost. Just be careful not to use too much fruit or added sugars.
Add nuts and seeds to your diet. Sprinkle a handful of almonds on your yogurt or salad, toss some sunflower seeds into a stir-fry, or spread peanut butter on whole wheat toast. Nuts and seeds are good sources of fiber, protein and healthy fats. But watch your portion sizes since they are also high in calories.
Use whole grain flour in cooking and baking. Replace half the white flour called for in your recipe with whole wheat flour. You can also experiment with other whole grain flours, such as oat, rye or barley. This will boost the fiber content of baked goods like cookies, cakes, brownies and muffins. Look for recipes specifically developed to be high in fiber.
Bulk up soups, stews and casseroles. Add extra vegetables, beans or lentils to increase the fiber content of your favorite recipes. For example, mix chopped frozen broccoli into prepared spaghetti sauce or toss fresh baby carrots into stews. You can also purée cooked beans to thicken soups or use mashed beans in place of some of the ground meat in tacos and casseroles.
How Much Fiber Do You Need?
The Institute of Medicine provides these daily fiber recommendations for adults:
Men 50 years and younger: 38 grams
Women 50 years and younger: 25 grams
Men 51 years and older: 30 grams
Women 51 years and older: 21 grams
Most Americans get only about half of the recommended daily fiber intake, so nearly everyone can benefit from eating more high-fiber foods. However, add fiber gradually over a few weeks to avoid gas, bloating and cramps. Also drink plenty of water to prevent constipation.
If you have a chronic intestinal condition such as inflammatory bowel disease, a high-fiber diet may not be appropriate. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before significantly increasing your fiber intake.
Fiber Supplements
If you're having trouble getting enough fiber from foods, supplements can help fill in the gap. Examples include psyllium, methylcellulose and wheat dextrin. If you take a fiber supplement, increase the amount you take slowly to prevent gas and cramping. Drink plenty of water as well. Supplements, however, don't provide the variety of fibers, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients that foods do, so try to meet your needs with food first.
The Bottom Line
Fiber is an important nutrient that most of us don't get enough of. But adding more fiber to your diet can be easy and delicious. Aim to include a variety of fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds in your meals and snacks. Swap refined grains for whole grains, snack on fruits and veggies, and add extra produce to your recipes. These simple tips can help you reap the many health benefits of fiber.
