5 Flavorful Ways to Eat More Fiber

Most of us know fiber can help keep our bowels moving regularly, but better digestive health is just one of its benefits. By feeding your gut microbiome, fiber may help lower your risks of serious health issues like heart disease, diabetes, and colorectal cancer.

At Premier Physicians Weight Loss & Wellness, the team led by Dana Trippi, DO, helps patients in Las Vegas, Henderson, and Reno, Nevada, learn how to make small but meaningful changes to their eating habits to support a healthy weight and overall wellness.

In this post, we share five simple ways to incorporate more fiber into your diet.

1. Keep fruit on hand

Fruit is full of fiber, and it’s full of flavor too. Keeping fruit on hand makes it easy to boost your fiber intake without sacrificing flavor. Wash fruit as soon as you get it and place it on the counter or in a container in plain view in your fridge. 

Eating fruit raw is the simplest way to reap the fiber-rich benefits (keep skins intact if possible), but cooked, frozen, or canned fruit offers extra fiber too. Add fresh fruit to salads and oatmeal to sneak in fiber while adding a burst of flavor. Keep yogurt or peanut butter on hand for dipping.

2. Rethink pasta

Pasta is a convenient, delicious, comforting meal choice, especially at the end of a busy day or anytime you don’t feel like meal planning. Increase your fiber intake by selecting pasta made from whole grains or legumes, like chickpeas.

Add fresh vegetables to your sauce or top pasta with sauteed veggies, a little olive oil, and grated parmesan; skip the tomato sauce entirely. You can add fiber by blending raw or cooked vegetables into homemade or store-bought sauce. Pair with a salad and whole-grain bread.

3. Embrace smoothies

Part puree, part decadent shake, smoothies are an ideal vehicle for fiber-friendly ingredients. Fresh fruit is a no-brainer, but so are carrots, nuts, leafy greens, and seeds like chia or flax.

Use plant milk or yogurt to blend for added nutrition. Or use the same smoothie blending technique to make a creamed soup full of vegetables, legumes, cooked whole grains, and beans for a great work lunch or meal on the go.

4. Make snacking easy

Most of us know fresh veggies are a great source of fiber (along with lots of vitamins and minerals), but prepping veggies takes work — and when eaten alone, the mild flavors might not impress you. The goal: Make veggie snacks more convenient and tastier.

Fortunately, the solution is simple. First, prep veggies as soon as you get them, giving them a good scrub and cutting them into serving-size pieces. Store them in an airtight container in plain view in your fridge.

Next, increase flavor by keeping yogurt or nut butter on hand for dipping. Better still, combine chickpeas with a little olive oil and garlic (tahini optional) to make a homemade hummus that’s both a delicious veggie dip and a great source of fiber. 

5. Power up your breakfast

Plenty of us associate cereal with a quick, healthy breakfast, so adding more fiber to this important meal is an obvious option. In addition to selecting whole-grain cereal options, add oatmeal to your rotation and top it with fresh fruit, chopped dates, or nuts.

Time crunch? Make oatmeal in your fridge overnight, or consider layering yogurt with fruit and granola for a quick, healthy breakfast on the go. Or keep whole-grain muffins in your freezer. Smoothies are another flavorful option ideal for eating on the go.

Adding fiber to your diet doesn’t have to take a lot of work, and it doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor. To learn more ways to improve your eating habits and health, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Premier Physicians Weight Loss & Wellness today.