Real foods high in fiber are great for you. We’re not talking bran cereal necessarily, but rather fruits and vegetables like peas and broccoli and raspberries, apples and pears. Check out this MayoClinic.com article for a great chart on high-fiber fruits and veggies and add them to your shopping list!
Here are 3 reasons (out of several others) upping your fiber intake is a good idea via the Mayo Clinic:
A high-fiber diet can do the following:
Aid in achieving healthy weight. High-fiber foods tend to be more filling than low-fiber foods, so you’re likely to eat less and stay satisfied longer. And high-fiber foods tend to take longer to eat and to be less “energy dense,” which means they have fewer calories for the same volume of food.
Normalize bowel movements. Dietary fiber increases the weight and size of your stool and softens it. A bulky stool is easier to pass, decreasing your chance of constipation. If you have loose, watery stools, fiber may help to solidify the stool because it absorbs water and adds bulk to stool.
Help control blood sugar levels. In people with diabetes, fiber — particularly soluble fiber — can slow the absorption of sugar and help improve blood sugar levels. A healthy diet that includes insoluble fiber may also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Fiber: Daily recommendations for adults
| Age 50 or younger | Age 51 or older | |
|---|---|---|
| Institute of Medicine | ||
| Men | 38 grams | 30 grams |
| Women | 25 grams | 21 grams |
At Physician’s Weight Control and Wellness, our weight loss programs are unique in that they are physician-guided and individually tailored to each patient. Because every patient is different, no two treatment plans are the same. The same philosophy applies to our nutrition consulting and coaching programs. These programs are designed to be the next step after meeting with our doctors to ensure your investment in your new lifestyle takes root.
Photo by Louis Hansel @shotsoflouis on Unsplash
