5 Easy Ways to Add Fiber to your Day (And Why you Should)
Fiber is your intestinal broom, and adding the right type of fiber to your diet can benefit digestion and reduce the risk of chronic disease!
Fiber is found in plant foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes! It makes up the component of plant cell walls, and humans actually lack the enzymes and digestive juices required to break down fiber, so it passes through the body without requiring energy or calories.
Now, even though fiber doesn’t sound SUPER glamorous, there are a few easy ways that you can incorporate it into your dietary routine in delicious ways. Let’s first start, with a few fiber MYTHS!
FIBER MYTH #1 - There is only one type of fibre and they’re all created equal
FALSE!
There are actually 2 basic categories of dietary fiber
Soluble- Dissolves in water
Insoluble- Does not dissolve in water
Most plant foods have a combination of soluble and insoluble fiber, and both are needed in the diet because they have differing health benefits
FIBER MYTH #2 - You only need to worry about adding fiber into your diet if your constipated
FALSE!
Most of us can benefit from more fiber in the diet! Though fiber does add bulk to the stool, but there are so many benefits to fiber aside from the benefits of a regular bowel movement.
FIBER MYTH #3- You’re getting enough
FALSE!
Due to the growing presence of processed foods in the typical western diet (which are typically stripped of fiber), the average American gets 10-15 grams of fiber per day. Compare this with the recommended daily fiber intake of 25-35 grams of fiber per day, and you can see that most people are not getting enough of this important indigestible carbohydrate.
Why should you care about your fiber intake?
Better Poops
Are you ready for some epic poops? The colon requires bulk in order to move 1-3 times per day (yes, that’s right, ideally you should be pooping 1-3 times per day), and fiber adds this bulk to your stool, and decreases transit time. This effect depends on the type of fiber and the state of your digestive system, but by prioritizing fibre intake you can expect some EPIC POOPS.
Feeding your gut bugs
The "non-digestible carbohydrates" that fiber is composed of, is, in fact, digestible by our good gut bugs! By now we know (or are certainly starting to know) the important role that the gut plays in a healthy lifestyle, but if order to keep these good gut bugs thriving, we need to FEED THEM!
Balancing Blood Sugar and Metabolism Booting
Soluble fibre is helpful in the management of conditions that are affected by the quick breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose (sugar) like diabetes, hypoglycaemia, hyperglycaemia etc because it helps slow the release of glucose into the bloodstream. High-fiber foods also tend to fall lower on the glycemic index than refined carbohydrate sources (which have had most of their fiber removed).
Since fiber is difficult to digest, but contains no actually calories, it is also metabolism boosting!
Cleansing Effects
Do you ever have a good poop (you know what I am talking about) and you just feel lighter, more energetic and really, just “cleaned out”? Yeah there is a reason behind that. Fiber is your intestinal broom, therefore helping the bowels function more efficiently by cleaning the intestines of toxins that would otherwise be left to build up and carry throughout the body, resulting in a variety of health issues.
5 Easy Ways to Add Fiber to your Day
Now that we know how important fiber is, how can we add more into our routine?
Keep in mind with this list, that if you have not been getting much fiber in your diet, it is important to increase consumption slowly, because otherwise you could contribute to more abdominal discomfort and bloating. Try to add one of these per week and slow it down if you start to notice digestive discomfort.
Replace fruit juices with whole fruit
Fruit juice can be loaded with sugar, and even if it is real fruit juice, which has nutrients, you’re still missing out on that fiber component! So next time you reach for some apple juice, grab an apple instead! One apple with the skin on has about 3.6 grams of fiber, and it is a tasty and natural way to assist bowel function.
Embrace nuts & seeds
Adding chia, flax or hemp seeds to smoothies add a significant source of fibre to your meals. Simply adding 1 tbsp of these seeds can add 2-5 grams of fiber. You can also add nuts and seeds like pumpkin seeds, walnuts or slivered almonds to salads, smoothie bowls or oatmeal for added fibre (and healthy fats!).
Incorporate plant based proteins
Plant based proteins like chickpeas, lentil, and beans are an amazing source of fiber, especially when you’re comparing to animal based proteins which contain no fiber at all! One cup of chickpeas boasts an average of 13 grams of fiber!
Replace white bread, pasta, and rice with whole grain options
Refined and processed foods have been stripped of their fiber, so try substituting whole grain options! Some simple swaps could include brown rice instead of white rice, substituting white pasta for chickpea pasta, brown rice pasta or black bean pasta, and substituting white bread for a whole grain or sprouted grain option.
Supercharge snack time
Instead of crackers and cheese or potato chips, opt for raw veggies and fruit paired with nuts and seeds for a snack time that will pump up that fiber intake. Some of my favourite snack options are
Veggies with hummus
Berries with amonds
Apple with almond butter
Smoothie (with seeds!)
Greek yogurt with nuts and berries
Seedy crackers with hummus
If your digestion could use some support, and you could use some help, check out my Fuel your Fire One-on-One Personalized Nutrition Program! If you think you would be a good fit, let’s chat about your health and wellness goals in a FREE discovery call! Click below to book 👇🏼