There’s a reason so many weight-loss plans include a focus on fiber: It keeps you feeling full and helps release hunger-satisfying chemicals in the brain. (It’s also a proven cancer- and heart disease-risk reducer!) Here, nutritionists share nine easy ways to add more to your diet.
Pump up your oatmeal.
Nutritionist Rachel Beller, R.D., recommends getting 30 to 35 grams of fiber per day if you’re looking to lose weight, and by getting a big chunk of it (at least eight grams) at breakfast, you’ll be more likely to succeed. She suggests mixing a serving of steel-cut oatmeal with four tablespoons of wheat bran and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Top it off with half a small banana, and at 12.5 grams of fiber, you’re already a third of the way there.
Mix up your yogurt.
Add 3/4 of a cup of fiber-rich cereal, like Fiber One, to a six-ounce cup of nonfat yogurt. Choose the thicker Greek yogurt and drizzle the top with honey or agave syrup, for a snack that tastes more like a treat than a health food. Trust us, it’ll fill you up for hours.
Grab a Gnu Bar.
These snack bars are a Beller favorite—and with 12 grams of fiber and only 130 to 140 calories per bar, it’s easy to see why. Beller recommends putting one in the freezer for a refreshing summer snack. Oh, and did we mention they’re delicious?
Make the most of your afternoon snack.
“Dried fruit in moderation can work wonders,” says Marissa Lippert, R.D. Pair two or three dried figs or apricots with an ounce of (preferably light) cheese or a Laughing Cow wedge for a quick, energizing and fiber-rich snack, she suggests. There are four grams of fiber in five dried figs alone.
Make your salad even healthier.
Renee Melton, M.S., R.D., L.D., nutritionist for Weight Loss for Sensei, has come up with a game plan to add up to 12 grams of fiber to your leafy greens: “Have a vegetable salad with broccoli, carrots and peppers, throw in half a handful of garbanzo beans, a tablespoon or two of nuts, like unsalted salad-ready almonds, and if you want extra crunch, get some whole-grain crackers,” she says.
Swap any kind of white grains with either brown or whole ones, suggests Melton. For instance, buying whole-wheat pasta instead of the regular stuff can practically triple the amount of fiber you get. The same goes for bread—choose whole-grain buns for your next barbecue and fiber-rich bread for sandwiches. Lippert also recommends trading your white rice for the brown or wild version or even whole-wheat couscous.
Potato skins are in.
When it comes to your baked potato, it’s what’s on the outside that counts. Skip the mashed potatoes, and keep the skin on your spud for a 3.8-gram boost of fiber, says Lippert. Just don’t go overboard by stuffing those skins with sour cream, bacon and cheddar, and skip the butter and salt for the biggest health benefits.
Sweeten your ice cream.
We’re not suggesting you order a banana split , but topping your ice cream with fresh fruit, like strawberries or blueberries, can help you reach your daily fiber goals, says Melton.
Add a fiber supplement to just about anything.
You always want to get the majority of your fiber from whole foods, but if you’re struggling to reach your daily goal, try sprinkling two teaspoons of a supplement like Benefiber or Fiber Sure into almost any food or drink for an additional three grams of the good stuff. “It melts away into yogurt or ice cream and even dissolves into coffee—plus it helps to curb hunger by making you feel full,” says Beller.
- Glamour Magazine
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