Many people equate fiber with good digestion, but that\u2019s just one of the many health benefits of eating enough fiber. Fiber can help you manage your blood sugar, keep you full and satisfied between meals (because it slows digestion), and it\u2019s been shown to have a positive effect on cholesterol. Whether you\u2019re looking to lower your already high cholesterol or prevent it from getting too high, fiber may be the key that you\u2019re missing.<\/p>\n
There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fiber doesn\u2019t dissolve and helps to move waste through our digestive system, nicknamed \u201cnature\u2019s broom.\u201d Soluble fiber\u00a0 dissolves and is responsible for helping lower blood cholesterol levels by attaching to cholesterol and removing it as waste.<\/p>\n
The best way to increase your fiber intake is through food.<\/strong> Soluble fiber is found in peas, beans, apples oats, oat bran, barley and citrus fruit. Here are some of the best ways to add fiber to your day.<\/p>\n Breakfast<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n Add a high-fiber fruit or vegetable.<\/strong><\/p>\n EX: avocado, black beans, apple, pear, or oranges and yes, bananas! A medium banana adds about 3 grams of fiber to your diet.<\/p>\n To boost your produce intake try this:<\/p>\n Sprinkle on chia or flax: <\/strong>chia and flax seed are a great source of soluble fiber. You can sprinkle either on toast with nut butter or avocado, in a smoothie, or on oatmeal or yogurt.<\/p>\n Choose a fiber-rich whole grain.<\/strong> Not all grains are created equal. Whole grains including oats and whole wheat bread contain a good dose of fiber, whereas refined grains contain very little, if any. To identify a true whole grain bread look at the ingredients label. It should say \u201cwhole wheat\u201d or \u201cwhole grain\u201d as the first ingredient.<\/p>\n BeBOLD bars are a good source of fiber<\/strong> because of the oats, nuts, and chia seeds. Check out some of our BeBOLD breakfast recipes:<\/p>\n Lunch<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n When eating on the run it can be hard to choose a fiber-rich meal if you aren\u2019t really thinking about it. With a few tips and simple prep, it can be easier than you think.<\/p>\n Include fruit<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Increase veggies.<\/strong> Start slowly increasing the amount of veggies on your plate, making up to half your plate vegetables.<\/p>\n Dinner<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n Don\u2019t ditch the starchy vegetables like potatoes, plantains or yucca. But keep the skin.<\/strong> Eating the skin of white potatoes is where most of the fiber is found. This goes for baked potatoes, red potatoes, fingerling potatoes, and any type of white potato.<\/p>\n Eat more legumes such as beans, peas or lentils<\/strong>. These foods are some of the best sources of fiber around. Legumes often have a mix of both types of fiber (insoluble and soluble), so you\u2019re getting more than just cholesterol-reducing benefits<\/a>.<\/p>\n High Fiber Snack Ideas<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n Grabbing a healthy, fiber-rich snack can help you reach the recommended amount of fiber and feel full between meals. Below are some of my favorite high fiber snacks.<\/p>\n KeyVion Miller RDN, LD\/N is a registered dietitian with a culinary nutrition certification and owner of <\/em>The Miller\u2019s Kitchen<\/em><\/a>, a food and nutrition blog. She enjoys sharing mostly recipes with <10 ingredients and tips to help get more homemade meals on the table. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Many people equate fiber with good digestion, but that\u2019s just one of the many health benefits of eating enough fiber. Fiber can help you manage your blood sugar, keep you full and satisfied between meals (because it slows digestion), and it\u2019s been shown to have a positive effect on cholesterol. Whether you\u2019re looking to lower …<\/p>\n\n
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