Do you get enough fiber in your diet?

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Do you struggle with weight gain, poor concentration, fatigue, acne, headaches, constipation, poor digestion, hypoglycemia, diabetes, high cholesterol, or heart disease?

If so, then you may have inadequate fiber in your diet.

What is fiber?
Fiber is a compound of plant origin that cannot be broken down by normal digestion.

Did you know?
*Eating high fiber meals prevents you from overeating. High fiber foods take longer to chew and digest, helping to control weight.
*The fiber content in food does not change much with cooking, unlike other nutrients that often decrease with cooking.
*When you increase the amount of fiber in your diet, you must increase water intake to help with digestion.

Soluble vs. Insoluble fiber:
Soluble fiber is a carbohydrate that dissolves in water. It is mainly found in fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
Insoluble fiber is a plant cell wall that does not dissolve in water. It is mainly found in vegetables and grains.

Why eat fiber?
Soluble fiber slows the absorption of sugar and lowers cholesterol.
Insoluble fiber creates a feeling of fullness by adding bulk to your meal.
Fiber also regulates your bowels and hormones, while diluting toxins within the gut.

How much do I need each day?
~35 to 50 grams
Most Americans get only 12 to 15 grams of fiber each day because of high processed food consumption, which contains little to no fiber.

What are the best foods sources?
High fiber fruits: Apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, dates, figs, kiwi, olives, papaya, pear, raisins, prunes, and raspberries
High fiber vegetables: Artichoke, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes or yams, turnips, peas, and cabbage
High fiber legumes, nuts, and seeds: Black beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, kidney beans, pinto beans, lentils, almonds, flax, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds
High fiber grains: Bran, amaranth, buckwheat, cous cous, cornmeal, oats, quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, and rye

Can a person eat too much fiber?
Yes and No. If your diet consists of a lot of fiber in the form of grains then YES! Eating a diet very high in grain carbohydrates may increase your consumption of phytic acid and oxylates. These substances bind important minerals to the body such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc creating deficiencies. The solution to this is to eat the majority of your fiber in the form of fruits and vegetables.

What does 35 to 50 grams of fiber look like in a daily menu plan?
Breakfast: Omelet with 2 cups vegetables (7g)
Lunch: 1c spinach, ½c green pepper, and ½c mushroom chicken stir-fry with 1c wild rice (10g)
Dinner: Salmon with half of an acorn squash roasted and 1c sautéed collard greens (10g)
Snack: 1/4 cup dried apricots (8g) and 1 large apple with skin (5g)

Total grams of fiber= 40g

Diet tips to get enough fiber each day:
Add fresh ground or toasted seeds to your meals (flax, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame)
Eat high fiber snacks: fruit (with skin), seeds, nuts, vegetable sticks

Ham and Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Collard Greens
~13 grams of fiber!~

1 medium onion, 1 garlic clove, a 4-ounce piece cooked ham, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½-pound collard greens, 1 cup chicken broth (8 fluid ounces), 3 cups water, a 16-ounce can black-eyed peas (about 1 1/2 cups) or use fresh soaked, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Chop onion and garlic and cut cooked ham into ¼-inch dice. In a 3-quart saucepan cook onion, garlic, and ham in oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is pale golden.
While onion mixture is cooking, discard stems and center ribs from collards and finely chop leaves. Add collard, broth, and water to onion mixture and simmer until collards are tender, about 20 minutes.
In a bowl mash half of peas with a fork. Stir mashed and whole peas into soup and simmer 5 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper and stir in vinegar.

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