Are you missing 50% of the fibre you need?
Most Canadians are missing out nutritionally by only getting half the amount of fibre that they need each day. The recommended amount of fibre or “Daily Value” is 25 grams. Knowing this, you can start to read food labels and get a better idea of how much you need to boost your consumption of fibre.
What comes to mind when you think of the health benefits of fibre? If you are like most people, you may think of the role it plays in keeping you ‘regular’. However fibre does a lot more than just keep the digestive system running smoothly.
There are two main types of fibre: soluble and insoluble. These two types of fibre work quite differently in the body and both are important for good health. Soluble fibre is mostly found in dried peas, beans, lentils, oat bran and some fruits and vegetables.
Insoluble fibre is the kind that promotes ‘regularity’ and is mostly found in wheat bran and products containing wheat bran as well as some vegetables and skins of fruits.
Try some of these easy tips for increasing fibre in your diet:
. Start your day with a high fibre cereal. In order to be called “high fibre” a food product must have at least 4 grams of fibre per serving. Read food labels. You’ll see that the delicious varieties of Fibre 1 cereals have from 11 to 14 grams of fibre per serving. That’s half of the Daily Value in one bowl.
. Sprinkle a high fibre cereal like Fibre 1 on your applesauce and yogurt.
. Add crushed high fibre cereals to foods you make such as muffins, pancakes, cookies and breads.
. Be berry wild. Choose raspberries, blackberries and others to add variety to your cereals. These berries have twice the fibre of many other fruit selections. (1/2 cup of fresh raspberries= 4 grams fibre)
. Go nuts. Jazz up salads, vegetables, snacks and desserts with almonds, sunflower seed or soy nuts. (1/4 cup of roasted almonds = 4 grams fibre)
. Savour the skins. Eat fruits and vegetables with the skin on. ( a medium baked potato with skin on = 4 grams fibre)
. Bring on the brown. Use brown rice instead of white. Switch to whole wheat pasta, whole wheat flour, whole wheat breads and whole wheat crackers.
Here is a great high fibre muffin recipe from http://www.everydaycelebrations.ca:
Fibre 1 Flax Seed Morning Glory Muffins
Prep time: 30 minutes
Total time: 52 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup (250 mL) Fibre 1* Original cereal, crushed
2/3 cup (150 mL) skim milk
1 cup (250 mL) flour
3/4 cup (175 mL) ground flax seed
3/4 cup (175 mL) chopped apple
1/2 cup (125 mL) packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) finely shredded carrot
1/4 cup (50 mL) granulated sugar
1/4 cup ( 50 mL) flaked coconut
1 tbsp (15 mL) canola or soybean oil
1 tbsp (15 mL) baking powder
2 tsp (10 mL) cinnamon
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
Method:
. Heat oven to 375?F (190?C). Grease 12 regular size muffin cups, or place a paper baking cup in each.
. In large bowl, stir together cereal and milk; let stand about 5 minutes or until cereal is softened. Stir in remaining ingredients. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes. Remove from pan and serve warm.
Makes: 12 muffins
Tip: Did You Know? Flax seeds are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Eating foods rich in omega-3s will contribute to overall health and wellness.
As you increase your fibre intake make sure you drink more fluids. Your body will need more fluid to help process the added fibre. To save calories, focus on water. Make sure you are getting all the nutritious benefits fibre has to offer.
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