Fibre is good for our bodies and it is important to eat enough fiber each day. But eating too much of it isn’t good either. It causes bloating and uneasiness. That’s usually because it gets tough for our body systems to digest all this new fiber. Like most things, increasing the consumption of fibre too, should be gradual. With this change in eating more fibrous foods, we should make sure we stay hydrated. Drinking enough water aids in digestion and makes it easier for the tummy.
14 Ways To Add More Fiber To Your Diet
1. Lots Of Veggies & Fruits
No surprises there! Vegetables & Fruits are a good sources of fiber. They say we should eat at least 3 servings of veggies and 2 servings of fruits every day. So that could be by adding more veggies with meals or adding a whole lot of salad. You could add fruits to your breakfast or even try and snack on fruits during the day.
2. Eat Avocados
Have you tried this delicious green goodness? Its creamy consistency makes it a great substitute for butter and mayo in sandwiches. It makes for a perfect go-to for breakfast toast and half an avocado contains 5 grams of fiber.
3. Add Chia Seeds & Flax Seeds To Your Diet
One tablespoon of Chia Seeds contains about 5 grams of fiber and one table of Flax seeds contains 2.8 grams respectively. It’s super easy to introduce these two seeds into your diet. You could add them to your smoothies or as toppings on oatmeals or yogurts. You could also add Chia Seeds to your water. Adding Chia Seeds and Flax Seeds is probably the easiest way to add more fiber to your diet.
4. Chickpeas To The Rescue
Chickpeas are a brilliant source of fiber. Eating boiled chickpeas every day can be a bit monotonous. You could make a big batch of hummus as a regular go-to dip. Hummus is made solely from chickpeas. You could also toss in chickpeas in your everyday salads.
5. Another Reason To Eat Dark Chocolates
Dark chocolates are delicious but are also loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. One cube of dark chocolate has about 3 grams of fiber. So now we know how to make those midnight sweet cravings also healthy? Yes, not going to say no to chocolates, are we?
6. Try High-Fibre Flours
Refined flour can easily be switched with whole wheat flour. Whole Wheat Flour has three times more fiber than refined white flour.
But take it up a notch? Try some other high-fiber flour like almond flour, soy flour, or jackfruit flour. These have a lot more fiber and I have to say, in my opinion so much tastier too. Switching up your everyday flour intake to a fiber-rich flour is a sure way to add more fiber to your diet.
7. Snack On Popcorn
Did you know that 3 cups of popcorn has about 4 grams of fiber? That just means instead of snacking on the high-calorie oily potato chips now we snack on popcorn. Because well they’re high in fiber and who doesn’t love popcorn, right?
8. More Legumes
Legumes would be your beans, peas, lentils & pulses. A cup of cooked legumes is enough to make up for about 75% of your fiber need. Besides, pulses and lentils are a great source of other vitamins and minerals that are good for us.
9. Eat Those Apples and Cucumbers Skin On
A lot of times we like to eat our fruits cut and skin peeled off. But that just takes away most of the fiber content. A good way to add more fiber to your diet would be by choosing to eat those apples and cucumbers with their skin on.
10. Lots of Nuts
Pretty much all kinds of nuts are rich in fiber, protein & fats. You could snack on them during those hunger pangs or toss some in your salads and cereals. Either way, eating some nuts is a great way to add more fibre to your diet.
11. Switch To Brown Rice
Brown Rice has about double the fiber that regular white rice does. It’s an easy swap as it tastes pretty fine. Switching to brown rice not only means more fiber but also aids in lowering blood levels.
12. Bring In Some Whole Wheat
We all like pasta and pizza every once in a while. And we shouldn’t be curbing out those cravings but we could make it better for our bodies. Switch to whole wheat pasta & whole wheat pizza bases instead as a way to add more fiber to your diet. They taste pretty much the same but have a whole other level of nutritional benefits.
13. Berries For Dessert
The sweetness of berries makes them perfect for those sweet cravings. They have so much fibre in them which is why eating berries for dessert is a perfect way to add more fibre to your diet. You could add them to your yogurt bowls or ice cream sundaes. You could even add them to your smoothies or just eat some as is because they are delish!
14. Dried Fruit > Fresh Fruit
Dried Fruit has about three times more fiber than regular fruit. Loaded with vitamins, minerals and a ton of fibre-dried fruit makes for a perfect grab-on snack. You could keep a tiny box of dried fruit with you or add some to your yogurt bowls.
Every change requires patience, consistency, and strength. So be easy on yourself but also make sure you consume at least 28-35 grams of fibre each day. Not eating enough has its own set of consequences too. I hope this helps you to add more fiber to your diet and keeps you healthy & fit!