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Starting a High Fiber Low Fat Diet

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Starting a High Fiber Low Fat Diet

A smart, fast way to healthy eating is adding high fiber, low fat foods into your meals. High fiber, low fat foods increase your fitness level and overall health. It’s a fact that most people consume too much sugar, salt and fat, and don’t get enough vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. As a result many people aren’t getting sufficient fiber in their diets, and they may suffer from a variety of health problems as a result.

Fiber and you

You should know where fiber comes from. Gauging the amount of fiber in your diet is yet another reason to read nutritional labels carefully. All packaged and processed foods in the grocery stores have these labels, and they detail such things as fat, fiber, calories and nutrient content. Develop a habit of reading these food labels for a healthier you.

Take it slowly

One important note about increasing the level of fiber in your diet. While increasing fiber and decreasing fat is certainly a worthy goal, it’s best to take things gradually until your body adjusts to the change. Those accustomed to low levels of fiber often experience bloating, cramps, gas and abdominal pain when there is a sudden high intake of fiber. By gradually increasing your fiber intake, you can avoid these.

Fiber and its many sources

Most plant based foods contain at least some fiber, but some types of foods contain more than others. All non-animal products contain fiber. That means that meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, milk and dairy products don’t contain any fiber. Try to keep that in mind when planning healthy meals. Some foods such healthy staples as dried beans, legumes, dried peas, dried fruits, nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and many types of berries. These foods are excellent sources of fiber.

More fiber sources

Not as high in fiber as those above, but still great sources of fiber are apples, pears, barley, bran muffins, lima beans, brown rice, snow peas, green peas and sweet potatoes. Baked potatoes are also good sources of fiber, as long as the skin is consumed along with the flesh of the potato. All these foods contain from 4 to 6 grams of fiber per serving.

Fiber, fiber, fiber

Most vegetables and fruits also contain fiber, as does rye bread, wheat bead and melons. The majority of these foods contain from 2 to 4 grams of fiber, so you will need to add more of them to get the most out of their fiber content. It’s best to take fiber content into account as you do your weekly grocery shopping. Develop a habit of reading labels and choosing high fiber foods is the best way to make a long term commitment to healthier eating.

Choosing high fiber foods

Buy high fiber foods when going to the grocery. When choosing bread, crackers and other baked goods, opt for whole grain choices which are rich in fiber. Wheat and rye bread are good sources of fiber, as are bran muffins and many kinds of cereal. Choosing cereals that are rich in fiber is a great way to increase the level of fiber intake while enjoying a delicious breakfast every morning. Try Little Yogis Granola Wai Lana Yoga for a healthy cereal choice.

Have fun~Eating healthy

A lot of people are under the assumption that cooking fresh vegetables and other fiber rich foods destroys their fiber content, thankfully this isn’t the case. While it’s true that overcooking certain vegetables can result in some loss of nutrients, cooking has no effect whatsoever on fiber content. So feel free to prepare those healthy foods any way you want. Wai Lana Blog has a lot of high fiber recipes you can use.

Another great nutrition, health and fitness resource for firing up your metabolism is Truth About Abs by Mike Geary. Check out Girlwithnoname’s review of this awesome eBook here:

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