Fiber is a popular nutrient, but not well understood. In simple terms, fiber refers to carbohydrates that cannot be digested by humans.
Fibers are classified as either insoluble or soluble, depending on whether they dissolve in liquids. Insoluble fibers acts mostly as “bulking” agents and are not very interesting. Soluble fiber, on the other hand have great and powerful effects on your metabolism and health.
What Is This Nutrient?
Did you know that if you need to lose some weight, fiber should be your go-to food. But are you eating enough of it?
The author of The Small Change Diet, said that fiber is the magic weight loss ingredient. Unfortunately, many of us are not getting enough of it.
According to the book, the average woman should be getting 25-30 grams of fiber daily. That is the amount in 12 cups of broccoli, 7½ cups of oatmeal or 7 apples.
If you get enough amount of that nutrient through whole foods and not fiber supplements, that will keep you fuller longer. This is because fiber digests much slowly than simple carbohydrates.
So, because of this important part of your diet, your digestive system will run smoothly. As a result of this, you will not be bloated or constipated.
How to Incorporate Fiber Into Your Diet?
Other healthy and weight loss friendly foods that are loaded with fiber are: vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
The best strategy to get more fiber into your diet is to spread your servings out across all your meals and snacks for the day. All of your meals should include at least 8 grams of fiber. This is so you can hit the 30 grams per day goal.
You can also snack on a medium avocado or pear. Each of these fruits has about 6 grams of fiber. To increase your fiber intake at each meal, you should start including oatmeal (4 g per cup), quinoa (5 g per cup) and barley (8 g per 1/4 cup), into your menu.