Importance of High Fiber and Low Fat Foods
The easiest and most effective changes that you can make to your
diet is to eat more fiber rich foods, and fewer foods rich in
fat. Why boost fiber intake? There are many reasons to boost the
intake of fiber while controlling fat, including increased
exercise, decreased your weight and maintain a healthier
lifestyle.
The fact of the matter is most people consume too much of the
bad stuff- things like sugar, salt and fat, and not enough of
the good stuff - like vegetables, fruits, and whole foods. This
means that many people are not getting sufficient fiber in their
everyday diets, and they may suffer a variety of heath effects
because of it.
Well, before you can eat more fiber you need to know where that
fiber comes from. You should get in the habit of reading
nutritional labels. This will be one way to start the high fiber
count and low fat. Most packaged and processed foods in the
grocery store must carry these labels, and they label such
things as fiber, fat, calories and nutrient values. Getting
familiar with these nutritional labels is a necessary first step
to getting rid of the fat intake and increasing your fiber. Ok!
Increasing fiber and decreasing fat is certainly a great goal,
it is best to take things gradually until your body has time to
adjust. Those accustomed to low levels of fiber often experience
bloating, cramps, gas and abdominal pain when suddenly boosting
the amount of fiber in their diet. However with time and
increasing levels slowly you will decrease some of these side
effects.
Some of the foods that are highest in fiber, usually contain
more than 7 grams per serving, include foods such as dried
beans, legumes, dried peas, dried fruits, nuts and sunflower
seeds. These foods can be great sources of fiber. Most
vegetables or fruits can also be sources of fiber. Most of these
foods contain from 3 to 5 grams of fiber. It is also very
important to take fiber content into account as you do your
grocery shopping. Reading labels and choosing high fiber foods
is the best way to make a long term commitment to healthier
eating and better overall health.
Choosing the right cereals that are rich in fiber is a great
way to increase the level of fiber intake while still getting
that breakfast every morning. Most of today's cereals that
contain wheat bran and oat bran can be great sources of fiber.
Lots of people have the assumption that cooking or heating up
vegetables and other fiber rich foods destroys their fiber
content, however this is not the true. While it is true that
overcooking certain vegetables can result in some loss of
nutrients, cooking has no effect whatsoever on fiber content. So
enjoy what you eat, but make sure that you think first about
those fiber foods and low fat meals.