Why You Should Add More Fiber To Your Diet.
What is fiber?
Dietary fiber is a plant-based nutrient that is sometimes called roughage or bulk. It is a type of carbohydrate but, unlike other carbs, it cannot be broken down into digestible sugar molecules. Therefore, fiber passes through the intestinal tract relatively intact. Even though fiber cannot be digested, it is being moved down the digestive tract as nutrients are being digested, and can do some great things that positively impact our health.
How to integrate fiber into your diet
Only 3% of Americans get their recommended amount of fiber daily. For women, it’s recommended to take in about 25 grams per day and for men to take in around 30-35 grams per day. While that might seem difficult at first, there are a variety of options from fruits and vegetables to quinoa and lentils that contain high amounts of fiber. And increasing the amount of fiber you take into your body could be a lot easier than you would imagine.
However it’s important to take it slow and remember too much of any one thing isn’t always the best approach. You may make the mistake of eating too many leaves, vegetables, and fruit, but not enough grains and pulses, which are the fibers that will keep you full. Or you could dive into it and add too much fiber too fast, which leads to excessive gas, bloating, and general discomfort.
Here are 4 easy ways to get fiber into your diet and your body:
Replace refined grains, like white rice, with whole grains. (Brown rice, quinoa, chickpeas, lentils)
Eat more high fiber fruits. (Eat them with the skin on to get the maximum amount of fiber)
Add more pulses, the seeds of plants in the legume family, to your diet at least 3 times a week. (Beans, lentils, peas)
Eat Avocados. (Just half of an avocado has 5 grams of fiber in it)
Download my FREE resources for more wellness and nutrition tips!
Soluble V. Insoluble fiber
There are two types of fibers that we can intake, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and slows down digestive time, while also lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Both categories have fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts. Whether the food is dissolvable in water or not is the reasoning behind its category placement. Foods that fall under the soluble fiber category include:
Avocados
Sweet Potatoes
Oranges
Oats
Insoluble fiber on the other hand, does not dissolve in water and speeds up the passage of food through the digestive system, making it easier on our bodies to pass stool. Foods that fall under the insoluble fiber category include:
Barley
Zucchini
Brown Rice
Rye
Fiber and Low-FODMAP
If you are currently on the Low-FODMAP diet and are trying to increase your fiber intake, high fiber food lists might indicate that insoluble fibers are all High-FOMAP foods. However, that is not the case. Here are some Low-FODMAP foods that are also insoluble high fibers.
Vegetables - corn, eggplant, green beans, broccoli, spinach, kale, legumes (chickpeas, lentils, beans)
Fruits - grapes, kiwi, strawberries, rhubarb, raspberries, pineapple, blueberries, raisins
Grains - brown rice, burghal, oat bran, rice bran, buckwheat, quinoa
Nuts & Seeds - peanuts, almonds, walnuts; pumpkin, chia, sesame
Is a fiber rich diet beneficial?
A high fiber rich diet can be beneficial to your entire body; from heart health to digestion ease. It aids your body in absorbing nutrients from food and eliminating toxins. It fills you up and helps you maintain more consistent energy levels. The benefits of a fiber rich diet are endless, and over time can even help you live longer. The following are some of the benefits fiber can have on your body.
Digestion & IBS
Dietary fiber aids in improving digestion by increasing stool bulk and regularity, and by adding about 20-35 grams a day will help build your stool to aid in its movement through your bowels. Drinking lots of water will also help improve your digestive system. Fiber works best when it absorbs water, making your stool soft and bulky.
However, those who experience IBS should be cautious of adding this much fiber to their diet. So if you experience IBS symptoms, try to focus more on fruits and vegetables rather than grains. It also might be beneficial to take an anti-diarrheal medication 30 minutes before the fiber to reduce the possible side-effects.
Blood sugar regulation
An increase in fiber intake can reduce blood glucose levels during the standard fasting blood glucose test, which is the blood sugar test taken the morning after an overnight fasting.
A high fiber diet can also lower the glycated hemoglobin levels, which occurs when proteins in the blood mix with blood sugar. Glycated hemoglobin is associated with an increased risk of diabetic complications, so a high fiber rich diet can help decrease these complications.
Eating satisfaction
High-fiber foods tend to be more filling than low-fiber foods, so you're likely to eat less and stay satisfied longer. In addition, high-fiber foods tend to take longer to eat and have fewer calories for the same volume other foods have.
It can be a struggle to find the right balance of fiber intake at first. It’s important to remember how much fiber you should be taking in daily, but also that you need to work yourself up to that number if your initial fiber intake is low. Increase fiber in your diet gradually over a few weeks time to allow the natural bacteria in your digestive system to adjust to the change.
