The USDA recommends that adult women get 25 grams of fiber per day up to age 50 and 21 grams per day beyond age 50. (For men that’s 38 grams per day up to age 50 and 30 grams per day beyond age 50.) Yet, according to Harvard Health, the amount consumed on average by American adults is 10-15 grams per day. Yikes!
I did know that fiber from whole food sources is better than fiber supplements. But that still leaves the question – what can I do to improve my fiber consumption?
Instead of selecting one article to share today, I decided to share my 5 favorite tips. If you’re looking for additional ways to increase your fiber, each article has several tips that didn’t make it to my top five list.
#1 Include veggies in meals, and eat them first! Unless I’m eating my favorite dinner salad concoction, I have a tendency to avoid veggies.
Frequently, especially when I’m on a deadline, I find myself eating while working. And while I’m not doing it on purpose, I generally get distracted back to working and find that I end up leaving most of my vegetables on my plate rather than eating them. (Tip from Healthline)
Bonus tip from me: I’ve discovered that I’m not a fan of textureless vegetables. I end up eating more fresh, crunchy vegetables than ones that have been cooked into mushy submission. I have made a habit of keeping fresh, cleaned carrots for easy eating. As a bonus, many fresh vegetables retain more of their nutrients than cooked vegetables.
#2 – Check nutrition fact labels on packaged foods. Try to get 5 grams or more of fiber per serving. Also, if you’re checking the nutritional labels, it’s easier to make healthier choices. I compared loaves of sandwich bread readily available at Walmart. I found that within the same price point (I was looking at in the $2-3 range in my location) for comparably marketed “wheat bread” that one loaf was giving “less than 1 gram” of fiber per slice and another was providing 4 grams of fiber per slice. (Tip from Family Doctor)
#3 – Replace your fruit juices with whole fruit. This one is easy for me, since I’m not much of a juice/beverage drinker. Not only does eating the whole fruit add fiber to your diet, it also helps to reduce the concentration of sugar which can help to balance your blood sugar. Even natural sources of sugar can cause blood sugar spikes! (Tip from VeryWellFit)
#4 Eat foods high in soluble fiber, like avocado. (List of 20 Foods High In Soluble Fiber from Healthline)
#5 – Add Chia to your food. Chia seeds are a high fiber food with 1 ounce adding almost 10 grams of fiber. (Tip from EverydayHealth)
Bonus tip from me: Looking for a good way to eat Chia seeds? Overnight Oats is a great way to add some fiber while streamlining a busy morning.
Overnight Oats Base
Approximately ½ c. liquid + ½ c. rolled oats (not instant) + ¾ tbsp Chia seeds. You can mix up your liquids. Dairy milk, non-dairy milk, fruit juice.
Personally, I’m partial to a non-dairy almond-coconut milk blend. (You can adjust the formula by adding more or less of any of the ingredients to suit your particular preferences. More chia seeds will create a thicker, more-pudding like texture.)
Add Ins
Fresh or frozen fruit
Nut butter (My current favorite is almond butter.)
Chocolate (chocolate chips, carob chips, chocolate milk, cacao nibs, nutella, etc.)
Chopped dates, dried apricots or other dried fruits
Shredded coconut
Chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, pistachios, almonds, etc.) Add as a garnish if you want them more crunchy or throw them in at the beginning for a softer texture.
Spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg can add a bit of pizazz as well.
To make your overnight oats, mix your milk and your Chia seeds. I stir them together pretty well, since the Chia seeds have a bit of a tendency to clump together in the milk. Then I add in the oats and stir thoroughly. Layer your oat mixture with your add-ins as creatively or as simply as you want.
When you are done cover your container with a lid or with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (The more time it’s refrigerated, the more the oats will absorb the liquid. You can adjust the amount of liquids and the amount of refrigeration to get your preferred consistency.)
Interested in learning more about fiber?
Did you know that there are different types of fiber? That isn’t something that I spent much time thinking about. I vaguely recall learning something about soluble fiber and insoluble fiber years ago in a cooking and nutrition class, but I haven’t thought about that in years. But in reviewing articles for today’s Digestive Health category, I ran across an article that reminded me that not all fiber is created equal after all.
A quick refresher for those of you who are like me.
Fiber is a sub-group of carbohydrates that the human body lacks the enzymes to digest. Without those enzymes to break them down, this group of carbohydrates travels through the digestive system with little change.
The fiber that I remember from my nutrition class is the soluble vs. insoluble group. This refers to the ability of the fiber to dissolve in water. Soluble fiber blends with the water in your digestive system creating a gel-like substance that has various metabolic benefits. Insoluble fiber is believed to speed the passage of food and waste through your gut.
Fiber also can be grouped by its fermentability. Fermentable fiber is beneficial in maintaining the “good” bacteria that keep the human gut productive and healthy.
If you’re interested in learning more about the different types of fiber and how they help the body, click here.