Why is fiber our friend?
- It fills us up
- Keeps things moving???, all the while flushing out toxins, cholesterol, excess hormones and other nasty stuff
- Stabilizes bloods sugar levels
- Assists in managing weight
- Associated with a decreased risk of some types of cancer
- Feeds our healthy gut bacteria
The benefits listed above are associated with the type of fiber found in whole foods, in their natural state. Whole foods allow us to get other health-promoting components along-side the fiber: vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals.
Picking out processed foods that boast high fiber content (I’m looking at you FiberOne) doesn’t seem to lead to the same benefits. Also, whole food-based sources of fiber are much preferred over supplements. Synthetic fiber found in these products increases the risk of intolerance as some people end up with uncomfortable GI issues.
Fiber is simply a type of carbohydrate, only found in plants, that the body can’t digest. Ironically, not being able to digest it is actually why it’s so important for health.
Following a low-carb diet often leads to inefficient fiber, and all the symptoms and health issues that come along with this nutrient deficiency. For example – not feeling full and satisfied, hormone-related health issues, high cholesterol, elevated blood sugar and more.
The typical American (and those around the world eating a western diet) gets only around 14 grams of fiber each day. No wonder laxatives are one of the most commonly used drugs (they’re also one of the most likely drugs to have adverse effects).
The minimum recommended fiber intake is 25 grams per day. We recommend slowly working up to this and then continuing to increase. A whole-food, plant-based diet can quite easily have around 50 grams of filling, cleansing fiber every day!
What are some of our favorite high fiber foods?
- 1 cup cooked lentils – 16 grams
- 1 cup cooked split peas – 16 grams
- 1 cup cooked black beans – 16 grams
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas – 12 grams
- 1 cup cooked farro – 12 grams
- 1 cup cooked green peas – 9 grams
- 1 cup raspberries – 8 grams
- 1 cup cooked quinoa – 5 grams
- 1 pear – 5.5 grams
- 1 cup cooked broccoli – 5 grams
