Fiber is one nutrient that contains numerous noticeable health benefits, and the fact is that most men and women simply don’t have enough in their diets. Fiber keeps our digestive tract moving, lowers cholesterol, is more slowly digested, helping us to feel fuller for longer (aiding in weight loss), and lowers blood sugar. Simply stated – with so many health benefits, it’s a mystery as to why we don’t go out of our way to get our fill of it on a daily basis. Perhaps learning the foods that are richest in fiber will help us to get our daily quota.
Beans
Beans get a bad rep for making people gassy. While this is true, it’s mostly because those people aren’t used to such a high fiber food, and their bodies react negatively to the significant increase when they consume beans. The truth is, beans wouldn’t make the body feel bloated or gassy if consumed daily, with a gradual increase in amount. Boiled beans, specifically, contain over 15 grams of fiber in just one cup. As an added benefit, boiled beans (like navy beans, kidney beans and black beans) do not contain the sodium often found in canned beans, which lack the same punch in fiber as boiled beans. Because boiling beans takes longer than just heating up canned beans, consider making a week’s worth at the beginning of the week for convenience, and simply adding some daily to salads, soups and wraps.
Berries
You’ll be pleased to know that berries are loaded with fiber. Not only are they sweet and tasty, but they help in a tremendous way in fulfilling your daily fiber requirement. Just one cup of berries contains about 10 grams of fiber. Blackberries and elderberries are the most potent in the nutrient, and are among the most delicious as well. Berries can be added to smoothies, baked goods, yogurts or parfaits, or even eaten raw for all of the same health benefits.
Bran
This grain is perhaps the richest form of fiber available for consumption today, and contains a whopping 13 grams per 1 ounce of bran. Bran can be added into oats and other grains. You’ve likely seen it in multigrain foods, oatmeals, cereals and breakfast bars – mostly very convenient ways to get your fiber fill for the day!
Without fiber, you’ll be constipated, hungry often and fight elevated cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Do your body a favor, and fight these problems that can lead to greater issues down the road by going out of your way to consume the appropriate amount of fiber on a daily basis.
