Eating enough fiber is important for our digestive health. They are also important to prevent chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer. Research also suggests that consuming fiber-rich foods might boost weight loss by helping you to feel fuller after you eat. But most of us eat only about half as much fiber as we should.
Here are a few ways to sneak in more fiber in your day to day meals:
1) Eat your fruits and vegetables
A lot of us prefer to take our fruits and vegetables in the form of juices and smoothies. But the best way to get your daily dose of fiber and your digestion up and running is by chewing on your fruit and veggies. The fiber is all lost when you blend them in the processor.
2) Read the labels
Read nutrition labels and choose foods with the highest dietary-fiber numbers.
3) Make the vegetables the hero
Do not just aim at just a few servings of vegetables per meal. Instead try to make the vegetable as the hero of the dish. For example you can make a Mushroom risotto with Mediterranean style veggies on the side. You can think of snacking on raw carrots instead of having a vegetable burger.
4) Do not peel the skin
As much as possible do not peel the edible skins from fruits and vegetables. Of course there is always the fear of pesticide residues. To deal with that fear, wash skins thoroughly before eating, and opt for organic varieties when you can.
5) Fill up on the beans
Beans, lentils and split pea are filling, fiber-rich and cheap. It is always better to use fresh cooked beans but if you don’t have the time or energy the tinned varieties are fine if rinsed.
