STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Emilie · BCBG

What are fiber rich foods?

Alikat · Kate Spade

Fiber is in many of the things you eat every day! Be careful when adding more fiber to your diet because if you add it too quickly you might get bloated. My nutrition teacher recommended adding 5 grams a week (on top of what you already consume) until you reach 25-30 grams a week.

Fiber rich foods: Whole grains - whole wheat bread, tortillas, pasta, oatmeal, bulgur, brown rice, bran; all fruit, beans, and most vegetables.

Here is a good resource, just type in the food item, select portion size, and the USDA database will give you a very detailed breakdown of its nutrients including fiber content:

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

lsubatgirl · Gucci

I also second being careful with too much fiber as it will/can cause you some bathroom problems (sorry but I don't know what else to call it). Bananas are pretty good for fiber. Basically check any nutritional label as it will have the dietary fiber amount on the package. Also you can use this website to look up foods and they contain the NI on all of them!

www.calorieking.com

blubirde · Chanel

Here's a little baking secret to add fiber to things like cookies and cakes and such: fiber one. fiber one + a little water = a ton of fiber and a great additive to your baked goods. You can add it to brownies and cookies (those are the things I've tried) and you can barely taste it at all (if at all). And it's such an excellent way to get fiber in the things that don't normally have it.

You could always take one of those benefiber pill things if you're serious about adding more fiber. Aren't there some chocolate fiber shakes out now???

dc · Dooney & Bourke

It is actually the best eating style for everyone. Getting enoguh fiber is simply more healthful than not. So don't think of it as a "diet" - it's just the right choice. Diets are bullshit anyway. People need to learn to eat nutritionally and be more active, period.

This is a soapbox issue for me. I am completely obsessed with fiber. It has simply become a way of eating for me. I don't believe in "sneaking" nutrients into food, because then you're not really learning healthful eating habits - I eat certain foods because they are healthful, and actually they taste better and more "real" to me anyway. I am not into fluff when it comes to food and I lvoe the substance of fiber-rich goodies. I eat flax waffles for breakfast every day (high in fiber, bonus that they contain lots of wonderful omega-3's), some sort of fruits or berries for dessert every night with a dab of soy yogurt. Strawberries are a great source of fiber, as are pears, apples, etc. Even my snacks during the day are whole grain - the multigrain cereal bars I like, etc.

Since I am a veg, I do consume plenty of soy products (tofu, meat substitutes, etc) as well as legumes (beans, nuts, nut butters) for protein, and they have the added advantage of being packed with fiber. I choose whole grains when eating bread or cereals or even hamburger and hot dog buns, and I scour the labels to buy the one with the most fiber. I don't really like white bread and starchy stuff, so that helps. Also I eat whole wheat pasta and brown rice instead of whtie (when rice is turned into white rice, it loses its fiber content and nutrients). And of course veggies - broccoli, leafy greens, artichokes, celery, etc etc... It all adds up.

Of course, when I go out to dinner I indulge in the bread basket or white pasta or rice (if they don't offer whole grain or whole wheat options), but on a daily basis, I am a fiber-obsessed machine. A day doesn't go by when I don't get the daily recommended amount.

It is true that if you don't eat a lot of fiber now, add it slowly or you'll get bloated and gassy and so on. But it's great to focus on fiber, because if you eat enough, it helps to keep your total calories down without even trying, as fiber-rich foods tend to be filling and satisfying (and are either less calorically dense, in the case of fruits and veggies, or they are just nutritionally better than calorically equal non-fibrous counterparts, as in the case of whole grain products vs. white breads and starches, which are just empty calories). Eat a diverse and well-rounded diet and you'll be on track. Do not waste calories on overprocessed crap. You'll feel better, and your digestive system and waistline will thank you.

-- Edited by dc at 12:29, 2005-08-11