Foods High in Fiber

What are good sources of fiber?


Eating foods high in fiber can be excellent way to improve health.

Adding fiber sources to your diet (especially fresh fruits and vegetables) can prevent a number of problems.

Some of the Foods High in Fiber

  • Fruit and vegetables
  • Whole wheat bread and pasta
  • Brown rice
  • Lentils, black beans, kidney beans
  • Almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, peanuts and pistachio nuts.
foods high in fiber
foods high in fiber

We can say that the Mediterranean diet is a "high fiber diet" mainly because it contains good sources of fiber: barley grain, oats, fruit, vegetables and whole grains (good examples of whole grains are brown rice, buckwheat, oatmeal, whole grain barley, whole grain cornmeal, whole rye, whole wheat bread, whole wheat crackers, wild rice and some less common types of grain like amaranth grain, millet and quinoa).

Millet, spelt, amaranth and quinoa grains

foods high in fiber

Fiber is of plant origin

According to its chemical structure it forms part of a group of carbohydrates which the body can-not digest, and it can be categorized into:

  • Insoluble fibers (mainly cellulose) - can be found in grains, fruit and vegetable peel

  • Soluble fibers (β-glucane, gums, pectins, etc.) - can be found in oats, barley, fruit and vegetables.

Fiber is very important for our body, especially our digestive system. High fiber foods are usually low glycemic foods.

It expands in water and stimulates the stomach to empty, and since it is not digestible it remains in the intestine and helps to solidify the stool. Soluble fiber absorbs water and turns into a mass of gelatin which gives a feeling of fullness in the stomach.

It is important to drink plenty of fluid to improve the effect of fiber.

foods high in fiber

The high fiber diet is usually followed while attempting to achieve specific health goals, rather than just something people use to lose a few pounds.

Fiber is important in preventing many diseases (it normalizes bowel movements, reduces the risk of developing hemorrhoids and diverticular disease, lowers "bad" cholesterol levels, improves blood sugar levels and may help in weight loss) and we have neglected its importance in our modern way of life.

Studies have also shown that foods high in fiber (about 25 - 35 g of fiber per day) reduce the risk of colon and stomach cancer.

A High Fiber Recipe

Here is one high fiber recipe that you can try.

Sweet millet and amaranth mush

4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup millet
  • ½ cup amaranth
  • 2 teaspoons raisins (or dried currants)
  • 2 apples (apples can be substituted with some other fruit)
  • 1 tablespoon syrup (preferably agave syrup, or whichever you prefer)
  • 5 cups water
  • 2 pinches salt
  • toasted almonds or hazelnuts, crushed


Instructions:

Peel the apples and cut each into 8 pieces.

Wash millet and amaranth in cold water, and mix them with rasins or dried currants and apples.

Pour in the water and bring to boil on high heat. Add salt, then reduce the heat and cook covered for ½ an hour.

When done, add the syrup and stir well.

Sprinkle with toasted almonds or hazelnuts.




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