Top 5 Easiest Ways to Incorporate More Fiber into Your Diet

The last several decades have seen Americans falling prey to an ever-growing array of physical maladies as our activity levels have dropped and our consumption of refined, if tasty, foods has skyrocketed. In the refining process that renders our favorite munchies, nearly all of the dietary fiber is stripped out. As the Mayo Clinic (among other health care authorities) points out, dietary fiber is vitally important to our well-being, helping to maintain healthy bowels and cholesterol levels, as well as providing a host of other benefits. The USDA recommends that adults eating 2,000 calories per day try to consume at least 28 grams of fiber in that total, though most people fall woefully short of this mark. Here are five of the easiest ways to make sure that you're getting yours

Eat High Fiber Cereal For Breakfast

It doesn't get much easier than this, really. Just grab a box of FiberOne or All-Bran, throw half a cup in a bowl with milk, and decorate with fruit, or have some additional protein in the form of eggs, ham, or turkey. One serving of these fiber powerhouses provides 10-14 grams of fiber and gets your day started off well on your way to fulfilling your fiber needs.

Eat More Beans

Beans really are a nutritional cornucopia, offering a variety of flavors and colors, high protein content (at least for a plant), and, of course, copious amounts of dietary fiber. Exact fiber counts vary among the different bean varieties, but you can expect to get anywhere from three to 20 grams per cooked cup.

Eat The Right Vegetables

When people think about increasing their fiber intake, the mind usually jumps to vegetables first, with visions of large salads taking shape. While veggies are certainly a good source of fiber, you have to make sure that you're grabbing the right green stuff in order to satisfy your needs. Lettuce, for instance, has less than 1 gram of fiber per cup, while onions and okra provide nearly four times as much. A good resource for finding fiber content of vegetables, and other foods, can be found at the Continuum Health Partners web site.

An Apple A Day ...

Apples do more than provide a sweet (or sour) treat chock full of vitamins and minerals. A medium-large apple can provide up to five grams of fiber. To get the full benefit from an apple try something a bit taboo and eat the whole orb, seeds and all. Much of the good stuff in apples lies in the skin and the core, so down everything but the stem!

Eat Whole-Grain Bread

If you're a sandwich eater, this one is super-easy as well. Just replace your white bread with whole grain bread, and you can tack on about six grams of fiber per sandwich, all while giving you a much greater taste variety.

Use these easy tips to beef up your fiber intake, and you'll be on your way to a healthier, tastier diet.