Fiber – it's something that we all know we
should be eating but also something that most of us aren't getting enough of. If
you're on a fat loss diet, fiber is going to be especially important because
this nutrient will help to quickly boost your satiety, so you aren't running
towards the pantry on the hunt for a snack an hour after a meal.
Even if you aren't on a fat loss diet, fiber is still important for
improving the overall digestive and elimination system in the body and for also
helping to keep your cholesterol levels where they need to be.
Simply put, fiber is a must-have in your diet program. So, rather than
pumping your daily regime full of high-fiber supplements, let's take a look at
five simple things that you can do to up your fiber intake instantly without
really having to make any major changes to your usual routine.
1. Add Flaxseeds To Oatmeal
The first great way to get more fiber into your day is to sprinkle on one or
two tablespoons of flaxseeds onto your morning bowl of oatmeal.
Oatmeal is
already a fantastic source of slow digesting carbohydrates and a great way to
start your day, but to quickly make this even better, add the flaxseeds along
with it.
Flaxseeds will not only pump up the fiber content, but provide a great source
of essential fatty acids, which is a must-have nutrient you need as well.
2. Toss Blackberries Into Your Protein Shake
Second, our next way to pack in more fiber into your day is to swap out
whatever fruit you're currently using with your protein shake and use
blackberries instead.
Blackberries are one of the highest fiber fruits out there
with over 7 grams per cup and will instantly add great taste to the beverage.
Best of all these are rich in antioxidants, which will help fight off any
free radicals you come into contact with.
3. Add Bran Buds To Your Greek Yogurt
Moving along, if you're a big fan of Greek yogurt, which happens to be a
perfect way to get your protein intake up higher for the day, consider
sprinkling on half a cup of bran buds cereal onto this.
Bran buds cereal is easily one of the highest-fiber foods around and will
pack in almost 10 grams per serving (or more, depending on the particular brand
you purchase).
Brand buds are also a great slow digesting source of carbohydrates, so will
make your Greek yogurt snack more well-balanced.
4. Puree Vegetables Into A Sauce
If you're someone who isn't eating enough vegetables in their diet simply
because of the fact you don't prefer the taste, one way to get around this and
to reap all the fiber-rich benefits these provide is to puree them into a sauce
instead.
Blend up some tomato sauce with peppers, onions, mushrooms, cauliflower, or
broccoli and you'll hardly notice them in there.
For many people it's the simple sight or texture of vegetables that puts them
off eating it so by using this technique instead, you'll never know they're
there.
This is also a great option for parents who have picky children as very often
trying to get them to eat their vegetables proves to be quite the challenge.
5. Swap Your Orange For A Grapefruit
Finally, the last great way to get more fiber into your day is to swap out
your normal orange with your breakfast and choose a grapefruit instead.
Grapefruits contain almost twice as much fiber as oranges do at just over 6
grams per half grapefruit compared to 3.4 grams per whole orange, so this simple
change can boost your total fiber intake for the day.
Have the whole grapefruit and you've more than tripled the fiber intake you'd
normally get just from this one component of your breakfast meal.
So there you have some of the top quick tips that you can use to instantly
boost your fiber content and meet your daily requirements. Keep in mind that
most people should be aiming for around 25-30 grams of fiber per day, if not
more if you happen to be on a very high calorie diet.
Using these simple techniques you can quickly get much closer to that goal.