Best Ways to Get Fiber in Your Diet

Looking to lose more weight? Eating fiber-rich food not only helps shed unwanted pounds, it could also prevent the onset of chronic diseases such as heart diseases, digestive disorders, and even cut the risk of developing certain types of cancer!

Fiber-rich food is effective in helping dieters lose weight because it makes one feel fuller longer. Fiber also binds with undigested food and toxins so it’s eliminated effectively and flushed out from the body easily. Unfortunately, despite all the health benefits of fiber, most people consume only about half the recommended amount of fiber we should be consuming daily.

The recommended amount of fiber taken each day should be between 25 to 38 grams but an average American consumes only about 14 grams. If you want to boost your fiber intake each day, consider these tips:

Check the Labels

With so many packed or canned food choices in the local grocer, it’s hard to lose track which types of food you ought to buy to boost your fiber intake. Checking the labels is one of the most important steps to beefing up your fiber intake. You want to focus on food that contains ingredients high in fiber, like whole grains or multigrain foodstuff.

Eat Lots of Fruits

One of the most fiber-rich foods in the market is fruits. But not all fruits will do. You need to choose fresh, organic fruits so you can take advantage of their fiber content. Also, steer clear of processed fruit products like juices because the fiber in these products has likely been destroyed during preparation.

Replace Junk Food with Veggies

If you want to boost your fiber consumption, then forget about the daily recommended amount of vegetable per day and just eat more greens! Vegetables—particularly dark green ones like broccoli, kale or lettuce—are rich in fiber. Instead on munching on snacks laden with cholesterol or empty calories, replace it with wholesome snacks like kale chips! It’s just as tasty as potato chips and it contains an amazing array of nutrients too!

Keep the Peels On

Another way to boost fiber in the food you eat each day is to leave the edible skins from vegetables and fruits when possible. Apart from being fiber-rich, the edible skins of fruits and vegetables are often more nutrient-dense than the fruit or vegetable itself!

If you’re worried about pesticide residues, make sure you wash the skins thoroughly. Or better yet, choose to eat organically grown produce instead! It might be more expensive, but organically produced products are often fuller in essential vitamins and minerals as opposed to those grown using chemicals like pesticides.

Eat More Lentils and Legumes

Legumes and lentils—like beans or split peas—are not only cheap and delicious; they’re also nutritious and packed with fiber! Lentils and legumes are available fresh, canned, or dried at the local grocer. If you’re buying canned lentils or legumes products, make sure to drain the water and rinse thoroughly so excess salt and preservatives are removed.