This is not the most glamorous topic to cover in a blog, but it is something I find myself talking to clients about on the regular (too early for a poop pun?). Even if you are blessed with bowel movement regularity without having to think too much about it - which many people are not - you still need to incorporate fiber daily, at every meal when possible. And even better if it sneaks into your snacks.
Why?
So many reasons beyond just keeping things moving along internally.
First of all, fiber helps regulate your blood sugar. Again, if you are someone blessed with stable blood sugar, you still need to think about keeping it that way. You can protect and maintain stable blood sugar by consuming a bit of fiber with most of your meals and snacks. Fiber slows your body's absorption of whatever you are consuming alongside it. For example, a bowl of plain white pasta is fairly high in carbohydrates and fairly low in fiber. Your body will absorb and utilize the glucose in this meal fairly quickly causing a blood sugar spike and subsequent fall. This is not ideal for your system for many reasons that I won't bore you with here (but hey - call me if you want to dig deeper into this!) If instead, however, you consume that bowl of pasta mixed with a cup or two of vegetables, you will absorb the glucose at a more even rate due to fiber's slower movement through your GI tract. Thus, your glycemic response is regulated. This is a very good thing to strive for daily.
Fiber's slower movement through your system also helps you feel full longer. This is why a bowl of whole wheat pasta or seedy bread might feel like it sticks with you longer than white pasta or bread.
And then there's cholesterol health. Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels in your blood is one of the best things you can do for cardiovascular health. Fiber actually binds to the cholesterol in your GI tract, and because fiber is indigestible and thus makes a reappearance on the back end of things, it pulls the cholesterol out with it. **That's the nicest way I can think of to put that without getting overly graphic, I hope you follow me!**
So there you have it. Blood sugar. Fullness. Cholesterol health, and of course, regular bowel movements. I mean, fiber really is the miracle nutrient.
So what foods have fiber, how much do you need, and how can you easily incorporate it daily? Glad you asked.
Fiber is the indigestible part of plants. So all plant foods have fiber. So the easy and always beneficial solution here is: eat more plants. But of course some contain more fiber than others. Beans, nuts and seeds win for the highest fiber content per serving, ranging from 10-15 grams/serving. Berries and fruit with skin on such as apples and pears come in next followed closely by veggies like broccoli, brussel sprouts and peas.
We need roughy 25-35 grams of fiber per day, depending on how much help you need in the bathroom. This truly requires intention. To put it into perspective, a medium apple with the skin on only has about 5 grams of fiber. So you really do have to be mindful to get the full 25-35 grams over the course of the day.
Start with breakfast. If you're a cereal person, look for a high fiber cereal, meaning at least 5 grams or more per serving. For cereal as well as things like oatmeal and yogurt, use these breakfast items as a vessel to add more fiber, such a slivered almonds or chopped walnuts, pumpkin seeds and a large handful of your favorite berries. You'll add 10-15 grams of fiber to your breakfast by doing so. If you're an egg lover, add some peppers or spinach to your omelette and then dice up an avocado on top. Avocados are surprisingly high in fiber, packing 10 grams if you eat the whole the thing over the course of the day. ((They're also great cholesterol health, so don't hold back if you're a fan of them.)) If you're a smoothie person, add two heaping tablespoons of chia seeds to your blender to add a nice dose of fiber as well as a good portion of your daily calcium needs.
Snacks are an ideal, often overlooked place to add fiber. Instead of mindlessly eating a bag full of pretzels, pair them with a complex carb by having a few pretzels and an apple. Even better if you swap the pretzels for mixed nuts. Still salty and crunchy, but offers more nutrients and fat to help you feel full. You'll also add fiber and extend the feeling of fullness the snack provides by incorporating these complex carbs. And bonus (I know, the yay list goes on and on).....you won't show up at lunch or dinner ravenous, tempted to grab whatever you see, and/or eat way past the point of comfortable fullness.
For lunch and dinner, you can incorporate more fiber by implementing one of my favorite nutrition hacks - add. Instead of changing things drastically, just look for ways to add fiber to your current favorite meals. You can always adjust portions so you're still eating roughly the same amount.
Burritos and tacos (photo cred: hubby's tinga tacos topped with shredded kale and avocado), stir fry, burgers, sandwiches, and salads/green and grain bowls are great opportunities to add more fiber. Pile some shredded cabbage, mushrooms or onions on your burger; add some chopped nuts and seeds or roasted brussels sprouts to your stir fry; add a side of mixed berries to your lunch sandwich. Look at what you already love to eat and get creative with ways to add some fiber, crunch, flavor, texture and nutrients. Your body will thank you for it on a regular basis.
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