If you’re like most people, you probably need to get more fiber in your diet. Males need a minimum of 35 grams each day, while women need 25 grams. Fiber can offer us some pretty fantastic health benefits. To begin with, fiber leaves us feeling full and satisfied. In addition to that, fiber can help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

If you’re not getting enough of this awesome nutrient in your diet, start making some changes today. Just be sure that you start slowly. Adding too much fiber too quickly can cause discomfort in the form of gas, cramping, and bloating. If this happens to you, back off the fiber and only add a little each day until you reach your goal.

Starting your day with a high-fiber cereal can boost your intake immediately. Top your cereal off with fruit for additional fiber grams. Be creative with your favorite recipes. Bran and whole grains can be easily added to items such as salads, meatloaf, muffins, smoothies, and casseroles.

You can easily get more fiber by making fruit an important part of your day. Avoid peeling the skin and don’t exchange fruit for fruit juice. Experiment with fruit in smoothies, desserts, muffins, salsas, and other sauces for fish, beef, chicken, and pork.

Make your snacks count! Eat dried fruit, raw vegetables, and low-fat popcorn.

Eat a salad every night with dinner. Add a variety of raw, fresh vegetables and fruit to keep them interesting. Top your salad with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar. Try eating salads in creative ways. Put a handful of salad on a piece of fish before you bake it. Add salad to the top of white pizza. Include a handful of salad in a whole-wheat wrap with raw or sauteed vegetables.

Start moving towards more whole-grain products. Substitute half a portion of whole-grain pasta with your regular pasta. Try different whole-grain breads. If you don’t care for the taste at first, gradually work up to them. You may want to try one of the new “whole-wheat white” breads first as they have a milder taste. You could also eat your sandwich with one slice of your favorite bread and one slice of whole-grain bread.

Learn to love the skin of your potato. There are just too many nutrients there for it to go in the trash can. Omit the high-fat toppings and squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice on the potato for a wonderfully fresh flavor. Add sweet potatoes to your menu. If they’re not your favorite, start adding them by making oven fries. Cut the potatoes and toss them with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.

If you follow these quick and easy tips, you’ll meet your daily recommendations for fiber in record time. Be sure to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day when adding fiber, as it absorbs many times its own weight in liquid. Your digestive system will be healthy and happy!

Tags: Personal Development

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