Suddenly fiber is the good-health “it” ingredient, but our mothers and grandmothers have known about its benefits for years. For our bodies to function properly, we need two types of fiber, soluble (dissolves in water) and insoluble (does NOT dissolve in water). In my view, aside from lowering the risk of obesity, the main benefit of a diet rich in fiber is that it helps in lowering cholesterol. Here are my favorite foods that are high in fiber, and ways you can enjoy eating them…
Whole grains are one of the best ways to get plenty of insoluble fiber. You can find them in whole grain breads, pastas, and even in a lot of breakfast cereals.
Oatmeal isn’t a whole grain, but it is an excellent source of cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber. And it doesn’t have to be boring! There are a lot of toppings you can add to a bowl of hot oatmeal, like raisins, brown sugar, cinnamon, and honey. Yum!
Brown rice, but not white rice, is also a good source of fiber. I like to add diced tomatoes and chilis to mine, to make it sort of a Spanish rice as a side dish.
One of my favorite summer foods! They always taste green and cool and delicious! Slice them and eat them plain, or add them to a green salad.
Carrots and their best friend, celery, are great munchies snacks. Dip the carrots in ranch, stuff the celery with peanut butter, or just eat them plain.
Since I was a little girl, I’ve grown tomatoes in a pot on my deck or in my garden every summer. They’re not just high in fiber, they’re also a great source of vitamin C.
I love dried fruit! It’s a healthful sweet treat, and you never have to wait for the fruit to be in season! Add them as toppings on a salad or just eat them by themselves by the handful.
Most people are shocked to find that lettuce has any real health value, but it does! It’s very high in fiber, and is easy and delicious to eat as a salad.
Is there anything more delicious than fresh summer berries? Pick them yourself, rinse them well, and eat them by the handful. They lose a lot of their nutritional value when they’re frozen or cooked, so get as many of them as oyu can in the summer… so yummy!
That’s a long list of fruits you can find at your local grocery or produce store during various times of the year. What a variety, and all of them are high in soluble fiber.
I’ve tried raw zucchini and it’s just not that tasty. But grill it with a little olive oil, or sauté it with chicken breast, and it’s suddenly delicious!
Kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, they’re all high in fiber. Eat them as a topping on salad, in chili, or just by themselves for a boost of fiber.
Looking at this list, it seems like you could get an entire day’s worth of fiber just by having a salad and a hunk of bread for lunch! You could even add sunflower seeds, which are also high in fiber, as a topping on your salad. Yum! What are your favorite high-fiber foods, and how do you prepare them? Please let me know… I’m also eager to try a new recipe!
Photo Credit: onebighealthnut.com