Food & Beverage Facts and Tips

Do you need to get more fiber in your diet? Did you know that men are supposed to have at least 35 grams of fiber a day and women are to have 25 grams? Fiber offers some incredible benefits to our health. Not only does it keep us feeling full and satisfied, but it can help lower our cholesterol levels and our blood sugar levels.

If you’re not getting enough of this awesome nutrient in your diet, start making some changes today. Just be sure that you start slowly. Adding too much fiber too quickly can cause discomfort in the form of gas, cramping, and bloating. If this happens to you, back off the fiber and only add a little each day until you reach your goal.

To get more fiber, start your day with a high-fiber cereal for breakfast. Top it off with fruit for an added boost. Add whole-grains or bran to your favorite recipes. These ingredients are delicious in meatloaf, muffins, casseroles, and salads.

Make fruit an important part of your day in order to get more fiber. Don’t peel off the skin and don’t substitute fruit juice. Be creative. Add fruit to salads, smoothies, desserts, muffins, and sauces for beef, pork, and fish.

Make your snacks count! Eat dried fruit, raw vegetables, and low-fat popcorn.

Add salads to your evening meals. Keep them interesting by adding unusual fresh vegetables and fruits. Make a dressing out of 1 tablespoon or less of olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar. Be creative with your salads. They can be served on top of pizza, on top of fish, or in a whole-grain tortilla.

Eat whole-grained pasta instead of white pasta. If you haven’t tasted it in awhile, it’s come a long way. It is truly delicious! Choose whole-grain breads. If you don’t like the taste, work up to them by changing from white to one of the new “whole-wheat white” breads first, or eat a sandwich with one slice of white and one slice of whole-grain.

Eat the skin of the potato. Cut down on calories by squeezing the juice of a fresh lemon on your potato. Start making sweet potatoes a regular part of your diet. If you’re not a fan, make sweet potato fries with a little olive oil and bake them at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

If you follow these quick and easy tips, you’ll meet your daily recommendations for fiber in record time. Be sure to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day when adding fiber, as it absorbs many times its own weight in liquid. Your digestive system will be healthy and happy!

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