The fiber frenzy is real! Consuming more fiber has become this year's fastest growing wellness trend. In in fact, there is even a new trendy name for it "Fiber maxxing". This refers to intentionally increasing fiber intake with the goal of improving satiety/fullness, improving gut health and digestion, improving blood sugar stability and cholesterol plus fiber helps to support weight management.
A healthy fiber goal is between 25 and 38 grams per day. Keep in mind however that fiber should be increased gradually to avoid bloating, cramping and gas. Also it should be divided up throughout the day- striving for 8 to 12 gram of fiber per meal. It is also crucial to increase your water consumption with your fiber. Think of fiber like a sponge-it absorbs water and helps the sponge (or fiber) move smoothly in your body. Without enough water, fiber cannot work properly in your body.
Here are some fiber-maxing habits to try:
- Add ground flax seeds or chia seeds to meals. These mix well in smoothies, oatmeal, and Greek yogurt
- Start meals with a vegetable- cooked or raw your choice.
- Choose legumes- black beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans, lentils most days. You can add these to salads, soups, protein bowls or make into a cold bean salad.
- Swap low-fiber snacks for popcorn, edamame or roasted chickpeas.
- Top eggs or sandwiches with avocado instead of cheese.
- Include high fiber fruits like berries, kiwi, dates, prunes, apples and pears at all meals.
- Replace regular flour with ground oatmeal in recipes.
Featured Recipe: 3 Bean Salad
Ingredients:
3 T Olive oil
3 T White wine vinegar
1 T Honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Dash salt & pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1-16 oz can chickpeas, drained
1 - 16 oz can black beans, drained
1- 16 oz can pinto beans, drained
1 cucumber, chopped
1/2 c red onion chopped
4 oz crumbled feta cheese (optional)
Instructions: In small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, honey, mustard, and seasoning. Set aside. In large bowl, combine beans, cucumber, onion. Toss with dressing from small bowl. Top with feta. Enjoy!
Katie's Kitchen
Below are links for some of the ingredients in the featured recipe plus a couple of fiber-maxxing ideas.
Manuka honey is known for its anti-inflammatory and healing properties. But did you know that it actually needs to come from New Zealand to be Manuka? Also, it is important to choose a product that specifies it is monoclonal which means it comes from only one plant (the Manuka plant). Avoid using this type of honey in cooking or baking as the heat destroys most of its healing and anti-inflammatory benefits. It is perfect however in the cold bean salad above and can also be used in iced coffee and tea. This specific product is available on Amazon though the link below.
Primal Kitchen is a great brand to choose for sauces and condiments like this Dijon mustard (featured in the recipe above). Primal kitchen is keto, paleo and Whole30-friendly. It is known for its clean ingredients including high-quality avocado oil without gluten, dairy or seed oils. You can find this dijon mustard at Whole Foods and on Amazon.
One of the fiber-maxing habits above suggests using ground oats to replace flour in recipes. This works great in baked goods like banana bread or high protein waffles. You can grind the oats in a food processor or blender. I love the Farmers We Know oats because they are sprouted, gluten free and glycophate free. Many non-organic oats are sprayed with glycophate which is a know carcinogen (aka Round-up). These oats are available at Costco and on Amazon.
Consuming whole foods like fruits, vegetables and legumes to reach your daily fiber goal is best. However some days this can be a struggle, especially when traveling. These Metamucil on- the- go packs are convenient, taste great and use natural ingredients like blueberry and carrot extract for coloring. They are sweetened with stevia with no added sugar or artificial sweeteners added. Metamucil on-the-go can be purchased at Target or on Amazon.
Please note as an Amazon Associate, I may earn commission from your qualifying purchases on Amazon.
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