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January 14, 2005
Fill Up on Fiber.
Aim for 20-30 grams of total fiber each day.
Insoluble fiber aids in digestion and helps keep your gastrointestinal track working properly. Soluble fiber binds to fatty substances and then together they get excreted. This can help lower your cholesterol.
Insoluble Fiber
1. Bread. Buy 100% whole wheat bread. The first ingredient should be whole wheat flour. Not wheat flour. Seven-grain, 9-grain, multigrain, and health nut breads all sound healthy, but most often they are not high in fiber. One slice of bread should have 3 grams of fiber per slice.
2. Cereal. A high fiber cereal will have 5 grams of fiber or more per serving. Some examples are Bran Flakes, Raisin Bran and Grape Nuts.
3. Fruits and Vegetables. Especially cauliflower, green beans and potatoes. Eat the skins of fruits and vegetables! This is where the fiber lives.
Soluble Fiber
1. Oatmeal. Oatmeal is a great source of soluble fiber. A 3/4 cup serving of cooked oatmeal has 3 grams of fiber.
2. Fruits and Vegetables. They have soluble fiber too. Some of the best choices are apples, oranges and carrots.
3. Beans. Kidney, lima, navy, garbanzo and pinto beans. Along with peas, these are all great sources of fiber. They have 3-4 grams of fiber per ½ cup cooked.
4. Nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds are an excellent snack. A ¼ cup serving of peanuts or pistachios have 3 grams of fiber each and ¼ cup of sunflower seeds has 2 grams of fiber.
**If you increase your fiber intake, be sure to drink an extra glass or two of water. This will help prevent gas, cramps and bloating.
High Fiber Hot Breakfast Cereal
1/3 cup uncooked oatmeal
¼ cup Grape Nuts cereal
1 TB brown sugar
½ cup skim milk
¼ cup water
Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Add milk and water. Microwave for 2 minutes.
Nutrition Information: 295 calories, 60g carbohydrate, 2.5g fat, 11g protein, 5.5g fiber
Posted by Lisa at January 14, 2005 02:30 PM
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