17 Ways To Get Fiber In Your Diet

1. Eat Whole-Food Carb Sources

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate found in plant-based foods. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that is not broken down into sugar when digested. Most other carbs are broken down into sugar during digestion. If you eat fiber with other carbs, it helps you feel fuller for a longer period of time.

This also prevents the quick absorption of carbs into your bloodstream, which helps to regulate blood sugar levels. Whole-food carb sources all naturally contain fiber. These include fruits, starchy vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.

When you choose whole foods, you are choosing foods that contain carbohydrates with fiber. Choose a variety of beans, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Starting your meal with vegetables is a good way to eat more of them.

A study found that women who were given salad 20 minutes before a meal ate 23% more vegetables than those who were served salad at the meal. If you want to eat fewer calories during your meal, try eating a salad or vegetable soup before your meal.

You can increase your fiber consumption by eating vegetables before a meal. Non-starchy vegetables are a low calorie, high fiber choice.

3. Eat Popcorn

Popcorn is one of the best snack foods around. A single ounce of quinoa provides 4 grams of fiber. That’s 3 cups of air-popped popcorn.

If you want the lowest calorie popcorn, you should either cook it in a brown paper bag in the microwave, or use an air popper. For more flavor without adding fat or calories, sprinkle it with cinnamon, and if you like things spicy, add a little cayenne pepper.

Air-popped popcorn is a good source of fiber, with over a gram in each cup. Snacking on popcorn is a great way to get your daily intake of whole grains while also enjoying a tasty treat.

Each serving of three cups of the kernels contains 3.5 grams of protein as well as polyphenols that may help to prevent cancer.

4. Snack on Fruit

Fruit is a great snack because it is tasty and portable. Although all fruit delivers fiber, some have significantly more than others.

For example, one small pear has almost 5 grams of fiber, while a cup of watermelon has less than 1 gram. Berries and apples are other high fiber fruits. The fiber from fruit can help with feeling full, especially when combined with food that contains fat and protein, such as nut butter or cheese.

Fruit is an excellent snack food. High fiber fruits include pears, apples, and berries.

5. Choose Whole Grains Over Refined Grains

This can be done by milling the whole grain to produce a flour, either with the germ and bran or without. Whole grains can be milled into a flour with the germ and bran intact, or without. In contrast, unrefined grains still contain their vitamin-containing germ and fiber-rich bran.

The grain is not as nutritious because the most nutritious parts have been taken away, leaving only a fast-absorbing carb. At least half of the grains in your diet should be replaced with whole grain versions. In addition to oatmeal or brown rice:

• amaranth
• barley
• buckwheat
• bulgur wheat
• farro
• freekeh
• millet
• quinoa
• wheat berries

Whole grains have the germ and bran still attached to them, making them more nutritious than refined grains.

6. Take a Fiber Supplement

Fiber is best obtained through food rather than other sources. If you are not getting enough fiber in your diet you might want to take a fiber supplement.

A few types of supplements have research to back them up:

• Guar fiber: As a supplement, guar fiber may improve fullness and lower your overall calorie intake. It’s also used in processed foods to improve texture.
• Psyllium: This is the key ingredient in Metamucil, a popular fiber supplement used for constipation. In one study, psyllium was also shown to decrease hunger between meals.
• Glucomannan: This fiber is added to some low fat dairy products to improve texture, and it’s the main ingredient in no-calorie shirataki noodles. As a supplement, it increases fullness and reduces appetite.
• β-glucans: This type of fiber is found in oats and barley. It’s fermented in the gut and acts as a prebiotic to support the healthy microorganisms that live there.

However, supplements have two main drawbacks. First, they can cause stomach discomfort and bloating. You can reduce constipation by gradually introducing a fiber supplement and drinking more water.

In addition, these supplements can prevent the absorption of certain medications. Before taking a fiber supplement, speak to a healthcare professional if you are taking any medications.

7. Eat Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are nutritional powerhouses. This food provides omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamins, minerals, and about 10 grams of fiber per ounce.

These small seeds thicken in water and are up to 93% insoluble fiber. Fiber that cannot be dissolved in water is important for keeping your digestive system moving and is necessary for maintaining a healthy colon. It’s also linked to a lower risk of diabetes.

Chia seeds contain insoluble fiber, which helps with digestion and could lower your risk of diabetes.

8. Eat Whole Fruits and Vegetables, not Juice

Juicing is a good way to incorporate a lot of vegetables into your diet, say proponents. Indeed, juice can have high amounts of micronutrients.

Even though unpasteurized, cold-pressed juices have not been stripped of fiber, they still contain a concentration of carbs in the form of sugar.

Although vegetable juices have less sugar than fruit juices, they have significantly less fiber than if you were to eat whole vegetables. You will reap more benefits from eating whole fruits than from drinking 100% fruit and vegetable juices.

Fiber and sugar levels in fruits and vegetables differ depending on whether they are eaten in whole form or as juice. Juice generally contains less fiber and more sugar than its whole form counterpart.

9. Eat Avocados

Avocados are incredibly nutritious fruits. The avocado’s green, creamy flesh is not only high in healthy, monounsaturated fatty acids, but is also packed with fiber.

This means that half an avocado provides 5 grams of fiber. Avocados may help to lower the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, a condition associated with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

An avocado can be used as a healthier alternative to butter, or as a topping for salads and other dishes.

Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats and fiber. Healthier than many other types of fat.

Swap mayo for avocado in sandwiches.

Food For Life’s Ezekiel bread is a good source of antioxidants from grains and legumes like millet, lentils, soybeans, and spelt. It also contains barley, which is a good source of dietary fiber.

Ezekiel Flax Sprouted Whole Grain bread contains four grams of fiber per slice, so you can indulge in two open-faced sandwiches without feeling guilty about eating extra bread.

You’re not getting the LDL-lowering fiber your body needs from an all-beef burger or steak dinner, unless you’re also eating extra veggies and legumes.

You shouldn’t have to give up fries every time you want to add more fiber to your diet. Instead, opt for finally giving meatless Mondays a shot. Why’s that?

Organic tofu and veggie burgers are not only delicious, but also nutrient-rich.

Figs are a delicious fruit that you should love, and if you don’t already, you’re about to be convinced. Aside from the sweetness, eating four of these purple orbs provides nearly 8 grams of fiber.

When choosing between fresh and dried figs, it is best to choose fresh figs since they contain less sugar.

We pair figs with protein-rich Greek yogurt or ricotta cheese on Ezekiel bread to help reduce the body’s digestion of the figs’ sugar.

Conclusion