Fill Up On Fiber

The benefits of adding fiber to your diet have been touted by doctors and nutritionists for years. Fiber can help prevent heart disease, some cancers and diabetes, as well as lower your blood pressure. It’s also an excellent source of energy, nutrients, and “roughage,” which aids digestion. If you’re trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight, consider adding additional fiber to your diet. Fiber makes you feel more full for longer, so you’ll eat less and be less prone to snack later. In fact, some studies say simply adding 30 grams of fiber to your daily intake can help you lose weight just as well as other, more complicated diets.

Luckily, adding fiber is pretty easy and tastes good, too. Add some or all of these high-fiber foods to your meals and improve your overall health while helping your body shed extra pounds.

Apple – 4.4 grams in a medium-sized apple
Artichoke – 10.3 grams per artichoke
Avocado – 10 grams per cup
Bananas – 3 grams per banana
Beets – 3.8 grams per cup
Broccoli – 2.4 grams per cup
Brussels sprouts – 4 grams per cup
Carrots – 3.6 grams per cup
Chia seeds – 10.6 grams per ounce
Chick peas – 12.5 grams per cup
Kidney beans – 11.3 grams per cup
Lentils – 15.6 grams per cup, cooked
Oats – 16.5 grams per cup, raw
Pears – 5.5 grams fiber
Quinoa – 5.2 grams per cup
Raspberries – 8 grams per cup
Strawberries – 3 grams per cup
Sweet potatoes – 3.8 grams per potato (without skin)

Experiment with recipes and combine ingredients for your own super-fiber culinary creations. If you’re adding a substantial amount of fiber, take it slowly or you will probably experience digestive upsets. Since fiber takes longer to pass through your system and often produces gas, you’ll need to introduce higher amounts gradually. Eventually your body will adjust, and you’ll begin to reap the multiple benefits a fiber-full diet offers.