Why fiber? Fiber has a plethora of health benefits. Aside from contributing to an efficient bowel, fiber also stimulates weight loss and lowers your risk for diabetes and heart disease.
Now that you know why it’s so important to have a high fiber diet, lets talk about how you can up your fiber intake without changing what you eat.
Embrace Bananas with Brown Spots
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Not only are ripe bananas sweeter, creamier, and packed with more antioxidants than green bananas, but they also contain more fiber. As bananas develop brown spots, they accumulate insoluble fiber that green bananas lack.
Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in water, making moving food through your digestive system extra speedy. So next time you go grocery shopping, swap out your full priced, green bananas for ripe, on-sale bananas. Less money and better for you; buying spotted nanners is a win-win.
Throw Some Seeds on that Bread
Photo by Heather Feibleman
Have you heard of flaxseeds? How about chia seeds? If your answer is no, then you should probably do some reading on superfoods, but I’ll give you a quick crash course for the time being.
Chia seeds, widely known for their star role in plant infomercials, are a crazy source of fiber and protein. Just one ounce of chia seeds contains 5 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber.
Flaxseeds, trailing chia seeds very closely, contain 8 grams of fiber per ounce and more than a quarter of your daily recommended magnesium. Topping your toast with these seeds won’t change the taste much, but it most definitely will change your meal’s nutritional benefits.
My personal favorite is mashing an avocado with flax and chia before spreading it on toast. If you’re feeling really adventurous, you can even put seeds in your smoothies and shakes.
Top your Pinkberry with Actual Berries
Photo by Gabby Phi
Raspberries, ranking number four on the list of top fiber-rich foods, are an easy way to make your cheat meal feel a little less guilty. With a whopping 8 grams of fiber per cup (that’s more than a third of your daily fiber need), and a taste as sweet as candy, raspberries are an easy sell. Next time you treat yourself to frozen yogurt, top your tart with some raspberries; it makes for a delightful and healthy treat.
Buy the Darkest Bread You Can Find
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Pumpernickel bread is packed with fiber. Two slices of pumpernickel, also known as dark rye bread, provide four grams of fiber. Not too shabby, am I right? A good rule of thumb for buying bread is the darker the color the better for you. Other fiber-full bread options are flaxseed bread, Ezekiel bread, and whole grain pita bread.
Jump on the Kale Bandwagon
Photo by Laura Lim
While eating salad for dinner is almost always a healthy choice, there are still ways to make your meal even more nutritious. Simply swapping out iceberg lettuce for spinach or ultra-trendy kale can make a dramatic difference in nutritional benefits.
In one 33-calorie cup of kale, your body is digesting 5 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein, and 133 percent of your daily recommendation for Vitamin A. Plus, the dark green color of kale makes for a bomb Instagram.
Swap Your White Rice for Brown Rice
Photo by Katherine Baker
Can you honestly tell me you can taste a difference between brown rice and white rice? Unless you have super sensitive taste buds, you most likely cannot. The only difference between brown rice and white rice is that brown rice costs an extra dollar or two at sushi restaurants.
Oh and one other small detail, brown rice is SO much better for you. Because white rice has been stripped of its bran shell, it lacks the fiber, protein, calcium, and potassium that brown rice is packed with. One cup of brown rice has 3.5 grams of fiber while white rice contains less than a gram. Spending a couple extra dollars may sound unappealing, but the health benefits are well worth the splurge.
Keep calm and fiber on. Happy eating.