So What is Fiber and Why is it Important?

Fiber, generally found in plant based foods, is the indigestible matter found in carbohydrates. Though consuming indigestible matter may sound a little iffy, this nutrient plays a vital role in a number of functional benefits including, regulating detoxification, providing satiety after meals, blood sugar regulation and maintaining cholesterol levels.¹

As a result, with regular adequate intake of fiber, studies have shown a lower risk of developing certain chronic illnesses including obesity, type two diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease.²

How much do we need?

According to Dietary Guidelines for Americans³, the daily recommended intake of fiber for adults is as follows:

• Adult women require approximately 25-28g of fiber daily
  
• Adult men require approximately 34-38g of fiber daily

Sources of Fiber

Since a number of ready made food items are so heavily refined, this means that their nutrients (including fibers) have been stripped to provide a smoother texture, offering quick digestion and a longer shelf life. As a result, our daily intake requirements are not being met and we are left with foods void of nutrients resulting in blood sugar spikes and compromised digestive systems.

Instead, look for whole foods that are unprocessed or are as minimally processed as possible. Choose items that include whole fruits and vegetables, bars, breads and pasta using whole grains and anything with added nuts and seeds to ensure you are getting all the good stuff!

15 High Fiber Meal or Snack Ideas

With the help of our in house holistic nutritionist, we’ve formulated a list of nutrient dense meals that include fiber rich ingredients to keep you on track all day! For breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack, we’ve got you covered (all fiber content is approximate and will vary depending on portion size and brand).

Breakfast

1. Kalefornia & toast (9g fiber)

   2 slices of wholewheat toast with 2 TBS of hummus (sprinkle sea salt to taste)

2. Scrambled tofu & sweet potato hashbrowns (8g fiber)

   ¼ batch of tofu scramble, hashbrowns made with 1 medium sweet potato, 1 diced onion, ½ zucchini on a bed of greens.

3. Bliss & steel cut oats (9g fiber)

   1/3 cup oats, 2 tsp chia seeds (add cinnamon to taste)

4. Smoothie bowl (8g fiber)

   Any of our smoothies with greek yogurt, ⅓ cup granola and 1 TBS hemp seeds

5. Rice cakes with almond butter and banana (7g fiber)

   2 Brown rice cakes, 2 TBS almond butter and 1 banana

Lunch / Dinner

1. Lentil vegetable soup (9-15g fiber)

   1 cup of vegetable rich green or yellow lentil soup served with a whole grain roll

2. Pumpkin Spice & quinoa kale salad (10-14g fiber)

   1 serving of salad with kale, pomegranate, sliced almond, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, avocado and parsley

3. Soba noodles bowl (9-12g fiber)

   Add 1 serving of cooked soba noodles to a bowl with 2 to 3 steamed sliced shitake mushrooms, 2 to 3 TBS edamame, 1/3 avocado, 2 sliced radishes, green onion, ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, soy sauce and miso paste (to taste)

4. Whole wheat pesto (9g fiber)

   2 TBS pesto mixed with a serving of whole wheat pasta with 1 cup diced cherry tomatoes (fresh herbs and salt & pepper to taste)

5. Burrito bowl (15g fiber)

   ½ cup brown rice, ½ cup pinto beans, ¼ cup avocado, ¼ cup salsa, 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce, ½ cup corn, lime, sea salt and cilantro to taste

Snacks

1. Monsoon with crackers & hummus (8g fiber)

   1 TBS hummus on 6 whole grain crackers

2. Trail Mix (6g fiber)

   Look for or create your own that includes a good variety of nuts, seed and dried fruits (almonds, hemp & pumpkin seeds and dried coconut can really bulk up the fiber content)

3. Popcorn (6g fiber)

   For 5 cups of popped kernels

4. Dried fig energy bites (6g fiber)

   Enjoy two of these bites made with dried figs, dates, almond butter, rolled oats and ground flax seeds

5. Tortilla chips & guacamole (8g fiber)

   50g whole grain corn tortilla chips with about ½ cup of guacamole

Written by Julie VanHeart: Registered Holistic Nutritionist

¹ Benefits of dietary fiber in clinical nutrition

² Effects of dietary fiber and its components on metabolic health

³ Dietary Guidelines for Americans