4 Simple Ways to Add More Fiber

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Before we dive into our top 4 tips to add more fiber, you might be wondering, “What exactly is fiber? And why do we need it?”

What is fiber? Fiber is found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, and legumes. It passes through our body because fiber can’t be digested. There are two types of fiber. Soluble fiber which dissolves in water and insoluble fiber which does not dissolve in water.

Soluble fiber foods: Oatmeal, potatoes with skin, lentils, peas, and beans

Insoluble fiber foods: Whole-wheat flour, nuts/seeds, quinoa, fruits, and vegetables

Why do we need fiber? Fiber keeps us full for longer, controls our blood sugar levels, lowers cholesterol, and aids in our digestion.

Now that we know what fiber is and why we need it, let’s look at 4 simple ways to add more fiber.

  1. Look at the nutrition facts label
    Explore the fiber content in different snack bars, tortillas, pastas, rice, cereals, and breads. Choose the brand with more fiber! Aim for food items that have at least 2 grams of fiber per serving.
  2. Add legumes and beans
    Add beans to salads, incorporate into your morning eggs, or mix them into your next casserole dish. Beans could be made into a delicious dip! Paired with whole grain crackers, it makes for a great high fiber snack!
  3. Choose to eat the peel
    Removing the peel from fruits and vegetables actually removes the fiber! For reference, an unpeeled apple has nearly twice the amount of fiber than a peeled apple.
  4. Use whole-wheat flour
    For recipes requiring flour, try substituting half the amount of flour with whole-wheat flour. Give it a try next time you whip up pancakes, muffins, or any baked goods!

3 Ways To Boost Your Metabolism

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Fit in fiber: High-fiber foods help keep your digestive tract healthy. One type of fiber, called soluble fiber may help lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels. Fiber may also help boost metabolism because the body tries to digest it, which burns calories in the process. High fiber foods include whole grain breads and cereals, fruits and vegetables, and beans.
Eat breakfast: Your body stays in sleep mode all night, so give it a jump-start in the morning with a great breakfast. Choose a bowl of high fiber cereal, some fruit and healthy protein food, such as egg, low fat cottage cheese or some peanut butter. People who eat breakfast are more likely to lose weight then people who don’t.
Include protein: Make sure each of you meals contains protein. It takes more energy for you body to digest protein than carbs. Protein helps maintain our muscle mass. Choose healthy proteins such as skinless chicken or turkey, lean beef, eggs, fish, lower fat cheese and tofu.
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Source: http://walgreensdiabetes.com/mag/WalgQ413/#?page=20

Food Facts! Chia Seeds

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When you hear “chia” your first thought may be of the green fur or hair of Chia Pets, collectible clay figurines. But did you know that chia seeds can also be a healthful addition to your diet? Chia seeds come from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family. The seed is often sold under its common name “chia”, as well as several trademarked names. Chia seeds were a staple in the ancient Aztec diet and it’s origin is thought to be from Central America.

Chia seeds have recently gained attention in the United States as an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acid. They are also an excellent source of fiber at 10 grams per ounce (about 2 tablespoons), and contain protein and minerals including as iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc. All of these minerals are essential for metabolic functions in our body. Some athletes find that chia seeds are excellent performance food due to their nutrient density, so you could them as pre-workout fuel. (*Be mindful that 10g of fiber will require adequate hydration and may cause digestive trouble. Ease into it!)

Emerging research suggests that including chia seeds as part of a healthy diet may help improve cardiovascular risk factors such as lowering cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure. However, there are not many published studies on the health benefits of consuming chia seeds and much of the available information is based on animal studies or human studies with a small number of research participants.

How to Eat Chia Seeds

Chia seeds can be eaten raw or prepared in a number of dishes. Sprinkle ground or whole chia seeds on cereal, rice, yogurt or vegetables. Chia seeds are very absorbent and develop a gelatinous texture when soaked in water making it easy to mix them into cooked cereal or other dishes. There are chia seed drinks that are quite thick, somewhat chewy and fizzy. They come in different flavors, so you can probably find one you like! A brand I have tried is ‘Synergy’ and I think it is quite good. I am not particularly keen on the texture, with the gelatinous, chewy nature of the drink. The seeds are not the only important part of the chia plant; the sprouts are also edible. Try adding them to salads, sandwiches and other dishes.

This would be the perfect example of a ‘good’ energy drink, not loaded with copious amounts of caffeine but nutrients to boost your metabolism and energy.

Have you tried chia seeds? What do you think? sls

Source: http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442472548