Boost Your Fiber Intake

Many Americans don’t get the required 25 to 30 grams of fiber that’s recommended, yet it’s one of the easiest nutrients to incorporate into your diet. A deficiency in fiber puts you at risk for high cholesterol, constipation, weight gain, irritable bowel syndrome and even colon cancer. Fiber is the fibrous part of plant food that is not digestible by the body. When consumed, it passes through the digestive system and acts as a broom, sweeping out the harmful waste that’s leftover from digestible foods.

Fiber is found naturally in many foods and it also comes in supplement form. One of the easiest ways to increase your fiber intake is to switch from white bread to whole wheat bread. The easiest way to tell if bread is truly whole wheat is to look at the nutrition labels. Many breads claim to be whole wheat or whole grain, but they can be misleading. Always check the labels and make sure that they have at least 3 to 4 grams of fiber per serving. Another way to increase your fiber is to switch to whole grain cereals or bran flakes that contain 5 grams of fiber. Fiber One cereal by General Mills is a great choice and it packs 14 grams of fiber into each serving.

Beans and legumes typically contain 6 to 7 grams of fiber per ½ cup serving and they can be added to any meal. They can be added to salads and soups or they can replace a main meal because they are also loaded with protein. Fruits and vegetables are also loaded with fiber and one cup of fresh raspberries contains a whopping 8 grams of fiber. Blackberries are another good choice and they contain 7.5 grams of fiber. Add them to your whole grain cereal and your well on your way to getting the recommended daily requirement needed. Once you do increase your fiber, make sure to drink plenty of water to reduce indigestion.