How to Detox Your Pantry

As I said in my last posting, many people do not realize that the key to a healthy lifestyle is found at home, and that the most common diet and health sabotages are found in their very own kitchen.  Last time we looked at how to detox the refrigerator to improve overall health and meet one’s health goals. This week we are going to get the problematic foods out of the pantry. Here are some guidelines to get started:

Grains (Bread/Crackers/Pasta/Rice/Tortilla)

It is recommended that a majority of the grains you consume should be whole. You can tell a grain is whole by looking at the ingredients list. The first word in the ingredients list should say “WHOLE”. If you see the words enriched, bleached, unbleached or wheat flour, it is most likely a white floured product that has been dyed brown to look whole wheat. Be careful of the food label claims such as, Whole Wheat, Multi-grain, Seven grain, 9-grain, 12- grain, honey wheat, split top wheat and whole grain white bread.  The food label can be very deceptive. In most of the above cases, the product has been labeled to lead you into thinking it is healthy when in fact it is not. Another tall -tail sign of a whole grain product is how much dietary fiber it has.  If a product is truly whole wheat, there should be at least 3 grams of dietary fiber.  When adding pasta and rice into your diet, make sure you watch the portion size. 1 serving of whole wheat pasta or brown rice is usually 1/3^rd cup cooked. As a result, it is very easy to over consume both products.

Breakfast Items (Cereal/Cereal bars/Granola Bars/Muffins/Oatmeal)

When buying breakfast foods, there are two things to consider: 

1.      How many grams of dietary fiber are in the product?

I recommended that breakfast items need to have at least 4 grams of dietary fiber per serving.  Fiber is one of nature‘s miracle phytonutrients, which is component found in food that has added health benefits. Fiber is the part of complex carbohydrates that your body cannot breakdown/digest and therefore is not absorbed into the bloodstream. Since your body cannot absorb fiber, it is not able to absorb the calories or some of the carbohydrates from fiber. The most common complaint about fiber is the side effects of bloating and gas. Gas increases because our bodies do not have enough of enzymes needed to break down fiber. Have no fear, there are nonprescription items like Beano or gas-X to help relieve these side effects until your body gets acclimated. Increasing your intake of fluid, especially non-carbonated fluids like water and tea, will also help alleviate the unwanted side effects. Studies show that fiber can help lower cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, weight and certain cancer risks .Fiber is found in the plant sources in our diet, such as fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, nuts and seeds. There are 2 types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. On a food label it will list how much “Dietary Fiber” there is in a product and then below breakdown how much of the dietary fiber is from soluble vs insoluble foods sources. Both types of fiber have their benefits and play an important role in overall health.  To review the differences between insoluble and soluble fiber check out blog #6 (Fiber Every Day Helps Shed the Pounds Away).

2.      How many grams of carbohydrate are in 1 serving?

For most weight loss diets, it is recommended to consume 60 grams of carbohydrate at breakfast.  Carbohydrates at breakfast help to boost your metabolism and wake up your brain cells, especially when eaten within 30 minutes to 1 hour after waking up.

Fruits (Dried/Canned/Packaged)

                It is a good idea to keep a variety of fruit in one’s pantry. When buying canned or packaged fruit, aim to buy fruit that it is prepared in its own juice, not in syrup. Some canned fruits are packaged and labeled as “sugar free” or “no sugar added”. If you consider buying this type of canned fruit to reduce sugar intake and calories, make sure that there is no sugar alcohols added to the products. Sugar Alcohol is a man made product, which when over consumed,  can cause side effects such as intestinal cramping, gas, bloating and diarrhea.  Nothing fun! Sugar Alcohol will usually be listed on the food label under the total sugar grams. If not, you can always check the ingredients list. Any words that end in “tol” are considered a sugar alcohol.

Vegetables (Canned) and dried beans

Aim to buy a pantry full of the free, non-starchy vegetables. Can’t remember which vegetables are free? Let me remind you. The following vegetables can be eaten in all day and will still aid in losing weight: artichokes, carrots, okra, tomato/veggie juice, artichoke hearts, celery, onions, turnips, asparagus, cauliflower, pea pods, water chestnuts, green beans, cucumbers, all peppers, watercress, bean sprouts, eggplant, salad greens, zucchini, beets, greens onions or scallion, sauerkraut, kale, broccoli, kohlrabi, spinach, all types of greens, brussels sprouts, leeks, summer squash, radishes, cabbage, mushrooms, tomatoes, bok choy, bamboo sprouts, chayote, jicama, daikon, and rutabaga. Another great vegetable group to have in the pantry is beans. Beans help to add fiber and plant protein to every meal, along with other vitamins and nutrients.  When adding beans, corn and peas to ones diet, watch the portion size. A ½ cup of beans, peas and corn is one serving. On most diet plans it is recommended to only have 2 servings of starchy vegetables or bread at lunch and dinner. Canned new potatoes are another quick, healthy side item for a meal. New potatoes make it really easy to watch portion sizes because 1 new potato is a serving of potato.

Soups and other canned food items

                Soups are always an easy meal to throw together. When buying soup, try to buy soups that are broth based and not cream. Cream based soups have a lot of unneeded calories and fat. If you do purchase a soup with more than 5 grams of fat in it, take the can and place it in the refrigerator 24-48 hrs prior to eating it. Most of the saturated fat with come to the top of the soup and harden so that you are able to scoop it out. Another great diet tip is to keep cans of chicken, beef and vegetable broth on hand to use to add moisture to low fat meats. Aim to purchase soups that are loaded with non-starchy vegetables, which are the free vegetables listed above.  If you can, try to buy the lower sodium options of soup. Soup can add unnecessary sodium to ones diet. Remember that if you eat a diet this is high in fruits and vegetables and exercise on a regular basis, sodium is not as much of a concern.

Spices

                Try to pack your pantry full with different types of spices. One of the hardest things about weight loss is reducing the fat intake in ones diet. Fat is usually what provides the flavor to food. When trying to lose weight, you have to get more creative with the use of spices to get flavor back into food. There are research studies that are currently looking at the impact of hot spices on the metabolism. It is thought that spicy foods could increase ones metabolism and help to burn more calories at that meal. Consider adding more spice to your kitchen and life!

Peanut Butter or any nut butters

                Peanut butter and other nut butters are definitely a food that can sabotage ones weight loss desires. Why you might ask?  A little goes a long way. Many people know that peanut butter and nut butters are considered a healthy fat. What many people do not know is that 1 serving of all nut butters is 1 ½ tsps! Many weight loss plans recommend that you only add 1-2 servings of fat to each meal, depending on the desire calorie range. As a result, all nut butters are easy to over eat and the portion needs to be watched when consuming.

Pre-Made Meals

                Try to limit pre-made meals. They are usually filled with empty calories and refined carbohydrates. Slow cookers or pressure cookers are a healthier way to make a quick meal when time is limited.  If you do purchase any pre-made meals, look at the total dietary fiber and aim for more than 4 grams per serving. Try to also keep that total amount of fat and saturated fat to a minimum. Remember the 1 serving of fat is 5 grams.

Take time today to go through your pantry and get rid of the foods that are sabotaging you and keeping you from reaching your health goals. Taking control of the food options in your pantry and refrigerator ensure that you are on the path to success.  Next time, we will go through the freezer.

Till Then,

XOXO! The Dietnista

How to Detox Your Fridge

Many people do not realize that the key to a healthy lifestyle is found at home. The most common diet and health sabotages for most people are found in their very own kitchen.  When making changes to improve overall health and diet, the first step should be to detox one’s refrigerator and pantry. Here are some guidelines to get started:

Dairy (Milk/Yogurt) and Cheese:

When purchasing dairy and cheese products, the goal is to buy low fat or fat free, especially when trying to lose weight, lower cholesterol and improve overall health. Many people do not realize that the fat found in dairy and cheese is primarily saturated fat. Saturated fat can increase LDL cholesterol, which is bad cholesterol in the blood that many people take medication to lower. As a result, it has been recommended that once older than the age of 2, everyone should consume low fat or fat free dairy products.  Regardless of fat content in dairy and cheese, the healthy nutrients such as vitamin D, calcium, riboflavin and protein are still present. The sugar content is also a concern for some when buying milk and yogurt.  Many people will look to other types of milk such as almond, rice or soy milk, thinking that these are healthier choices because they contain less sugar. Many will either avoid yogurt or will purchase watered down versions of yogurt because they appear to contain less sugar. It is actually more important to look at the total carbohydrate, total fat and saturated fat content of the milk and yogurt one chooses, not the sugar content.  1 serving of milk or yogurt contains no more than 15 grams of carbohydrate.

Sandwich items (Condiments/lunch meat):

When making a sandwich, it is better to buy lunch meat from the deli than pre-package meat. Most deli sliced meats will contain less unwanted items like salt, nitrates, unknown fillers and fat. The best condiment to add to a sandwich is mustard. Unlike mayonnaise, mustard contains very little overall calories and no fat calories. If one is going to purchase mayonnaise, it is better to purchase the light mayonnaise or one that is made with olive oil and limit the serving to 1 tsp.  Another helpful hint is to always add vegetables to sandwiches to help limit the impact that any unwanted items in the deli meat can have on the body. 

Vegetables

The following list is all non-starchy vegetables. As a result, consumption of these vegetables will help lower weight, cholesterol, blood sugars and risk of certain types of cancer. It is a good idea to stock the refrigerator full with these vegetables. These vegetables are practically calorie free when consumed by themselves. As a result, try to limit or avoid added fat to these vegetables.  They can be cooked any way but fried and can be eaten at anytime.

Artichokes	Carrots	Okra
Artichoke Hearts	Celery	Onions
Asparagus	Cauliflower	Pea Pods
Green beans	Cucumber	Peppers (all)
Bean Sprouts	Eggplant	Salad greens
Beets	Green Onions/Scallions	Sauerkraut
Broccoli	Kohlrabi	Spinach
Brussels Sprouts	Leeks	Summer Squash
Cabbage	Mushrooms	Tomatoes (all)
Bamboo Sprouts	Chayote	Jicama
Rutabaga	Watercress	Greens (all)
Tomato/Veggie Juice	Zucchini	Radishes
Turnips	Kale	Bok Choy
Water Chestnuts		Daikon

Juice or sugar filled drinks

According to Advisory Committee on Dietary Guidelines for Americans in 2005, those who consume a lot of added sugars from drinks, such as fruit juice, coke, flavored drinks and sweet tea, tend to consume more calories and fewer vitamins and minerals. This is true of any type of drink that contains added sugar, whether it is sugar cane, honey or agave nectar. As a result, it is thought that there is a connection between drinking sugary drinks and an increase risk for Diabetes, Heart Disease,and Obesity. Sugary drinks increase the risk of diabetes because 15 grams of carbohydrate, which is around 4 oz of most sugary drinks, spikes the blood sugar 50 points in 15 minutes. This is a rapid spike in blood sugar. When the blood sugar spikes, the body forces the pancreas to produce enough insulin to compensate. Overtime the repeated rapid blood sugar spike will wear down the pancreas and cause it to not be able to produce enough insulin to compensate. As a result, the blood sugar starts to rise in the blood and the diagnosis of Type II Diabetes follows. Sugary drinks also increase the risk of heart disease because all refined sugar can be made into triglycerides in the body. Triglycerides are bad cholesterol found in the blood that many people take medication to lower.  The big picture is that there are no added health benefits to consuming calories from liquid, unless consuming milk. Sugary drinks use up daily calorie and carbohydrate allotment and therefore decrease room for more fiber filler and nutritious foods. Many sugar filled drinks claim to prevent/limit dehydration because of the sodium and potassium content. It would be a healthier idea to drink water and eat fresh fruits and vegetables to accomplish the same thing.

Fruits

The fresh fruits that have the most health benefits are the ones that the peel is consumed as well as the body of the fruit. The peel is where a lot of the wanted fiber and nutrients are found. It is very important to get a variety of fruit to ensure the consumption of a variety of nutrients. Try to keep the fruit serving to the size of a tennis ball, which is a ½ cup to 1 cup for most fruits. When buying fresh fruit, buy the smallest sized fruit to help limit the risk of calorie overconsumption.  If purchasing any prepackaged fruit, make sure that it is packed in its own juice not syrup.

Alcohol

Alcohol is actually digested more like a fat than it is as a carbohydrate.  There are 7 calories per gram in alcohol. As a result, when trying to lose weight one needs to count any alcoholic drink as a fat source to limit themselves from over consuming calories. It is recommended that a man consume no more than 2 alcoholic drinks per every 24 hrs and a woman is limited to 1 alcoholic drink per every 24 hrs. Serving Examples of alcohol are: 12 ounces of Beer or 5 ounces of Wine or 1.5 ounces of 80 proof liquors. Dark beer contains more antioxidants than light beer, however the portion has to be limited to avoid over consumption of calories. Try to mix liquors with calorie free mixes, such as diet soda, soda water, diet tonic or water.

Butter vs margarine

Neither one is considered “healthy”. Butter can increase LDL cholesterol and margarine can increase triglycerides. In other words, both options increase bad cholesterol. Try to purchase the lighter options of both. There are also options that are yogurt based which do not have as big of an impact of bad cholesterol.  Try to limit the portion of all the above options to less than 1 TBS.

Side Condiments and Salad Dressings

Most side condiments, like BBQ, ketchup and cocktail sauce, main ingredient is sugar. As a result it is a good idea to limit all added condiments. Other options to keep in the refrigerator to flavor food are lemon juice, lime juice, and different vinegars. Be very careful of salad dressings. A majority of salad dressing are high in fat and sugar. 

Tune in next time for tips on how to detox your pantry. 

XOXO!!

The Dietnista

Cracking the Food Label Code

Today, it was said “that you have to have a P.H.D to be able to read food labels and decipher fact from marketing”. While this might seem exaggerated, misreading food labels can be what stands between you and your weight loss/health goal.  Cracking the Food Label code does not have to be hard. Let me see if I can simplify it for you.  Below is a typical food label and what I recommend that you look at when deciding on whether or not you are going to purchase a product.

Serving Size: It is important to look at the serving size of packaged foods to avoid unwanted calories, especially when you are trying to lose weight. Many companies will decrease the serving size to make the calories look more appealing. If you are not careful, you will consume more of the product thinking it is low calorie when in a normal serving it is not.

Servings per Container: It is good to know how many servings are in a package to help you better visualize what 1 portion is of the product. When you see that there are more than 5-10 servings in a package you know that you will need to be more aware of your serving size. The foods that are adding to America’s waist line are the foods that it is the easiest for us to overeat. This is why carbohydrates often get blamed for Americans being overweight. It is not the carbohydrates themselves, it is the fact that it is easier to overeat on them.

Calories:  It is always good to know how many calories you are consuming. However, be careful. Just because a food is low in calories does not mean it is healthy for you. Many low calorie foods do not contain any fiber and/or nutrition. As a result, every calorie you consume, you absorb. High fiber foods might appear to have more calories, but because of the fiber content you do not absorb all of the calories. Remember fiber is like nature’s vacuum, it cleans out excess.

Total Fat Calories: Remember that your fat calories should only account for 20- 30% of your total daily calories. If you take the fat calories and divide by 9 this should be the number that is next to the amount of total fat grams. Remember that 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories. As a result, usually the more fat grams in a product the more overall calories it has.

Total Fat Grams: Remember that 5 grams is 1 serving of fat. Your total daily fat grams should be between 35 to 65 grams per day for most calorie ranges. As a result, you need to take your daily fat recommendation and divide it by the amount of meals that you normally consume in a day. This should be the max amount of fat grams that you consume at one meal. Ex: 1500 calories diet = 50 grams fat divided by 3 meals/day= MAX 16 grams of fat per meal.

Total Fat Percentage%: The percent daily value is based on a 2000 calorie diet. Some people need to eat more than this, but a majority of people should eat less. The % Daily Value is a reference point and cannot be 100% used in deciding a healthy versus non healthy food. Usually if a product states that there is 5% or less of the % daily value of fat than the product is considered a low fat product. If it is 20% or more of the percent daily value of fat than the product is considered a high fat product.  

Saturated Fat Grams: Saturated fat is the second worst type of fat there is when it comes to health. The saturated fat grams represent how much of the total fat in the product comes from saturated fat specifically. Any fat grams unaccounted for are most likely from mono- or poly- unsaturated fats. Too much consumption of saturated fat will encouraged the liver to make more total and LDL (bad) cholesterol. As a result, a diet high in saturated fat has been associated with heart disease.  Remember saturated fat is usually solid at room temperature.

Saturated Fat Percentage%: It is recommended that you consume 10% or less of your total daily calories from saturated fat.

Trans Fat Grams:  Trans Fat is the worst type of fat for you. It is recommended that you avoid all Trans Fat. Trans Fats are made when you change vegetable oil into a semi-solid fat. Trans Fat has also been shown to increase bad cholesterol and risk for heart disease. There are different types of Trans Fat. Some are man-made, such as partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated oils, and some others are found in animal products, such as meat, cheese, butter and dairy products that contain fat. Keep in mind that even if a product claims to be” Trans Fat free” this means that there could still be ½ gram of Trans Fat per product serving .

Cholesterol: It is recommended that most people consume less than 300 mg of cholesterol a day. If you have Diabetes or known heart disease it is recommended that you only consume 250 mg of cholesterol a day.

Sodium: It is recommended for most Americans to consume 2500 mg or less of sodium per day. If you have Diabetes or known heart disease it is recommended that you only consume 1500-2000mg of sodium per day. If you have high blood pressure, consuming too much sodium can make it worse. Eating less sodium (salt) is a good idea for everyone.

Total Carbohydrates grams: It is recommended for most women to eat 45-60 grams of Carbohydrate per meal and for men to eat 60-75 grams of Carbohydrate per meal.  Carbohydrates should make up 45-55% of your total daily calories. Remember that 1 gram of Carbohydrate is 4 calories, which is also true of 1 gram of Protein.

Dietary Fiber grams: It is recommended that each product contain more than 4 grams fiber per serving. See my previous blog on the benefits of fiber to review why the higher the fiber a product the better.

Sugar Grams: Do NOT pay attention to the amount of sugar in the product. As long as you are paying attention to the total amount of carbohydrate you are seeing the big picture. Usually products that contain a lot sugar will be high in carbohydrates. If a product is high in sugar, most of the time it is considered a refined/simple Carbohydrate and should be eaten sparingly.

Protein:  Remember that 7 grams of protein is 1 ounce. Your total daily protein grams should be between 63 to 105 grams per day for most calorie ranges. As a result, you need to take your daily protein recommendation and divide it by the amount of meals that you normally consume in a day. This should be the max amount of protein grams that you consume at one meal. Ex: 1500 calories diet = 75 grams protein divided by 3 meals/day= MAX 25 grams (3.5 ounces) of protein per meal. Remember that your recommended daily protein intake includes ALL dietary protein; animal and plant. It is recommended that Protein make up 20-30% of your total daily calories. Remember that 1 gram of Protein is 4 calories, which is also true of 1 gram of Carbohydrate.

Vitamins and Minerals %:  As I have said before, the percent daily value is based on a 2000 calorie diet. Some people need to eat more than this, but a majority of people should eat less. The % Daily Value is a reference point and cannot be 100% used in deciding a healthy versus non healthy food. Usually if a product states that there is 5% or less of the % daily value of a nutrient than the product is considered low in that nutrient. If it is 20% or more of the percent daily value of a nutrient than the product is considered high in that nutrient.

Allergens: These are listed here for people who have food allergies.  The most common allergens listed are peanuts, milk, wheat, gluten, soy and lactose.

Sugar Alcohols: This is not required to appear on the food label so you might not see it on a majority of the food labels you read. However, I recommended that you read the ingredients list carefully to see if the product does contain sugar alcohols. Sugar alcohols are a man made chemical. They are known to have a laxative effect and increase gas, bloating and stomach discomfort. Sugar Alcohols are any word in the ingredients list that ends in –TOL. Examples: maltitol, lactitol, sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol and erythritol.  Isomalt, glycerol, and hydrogenated starch hydrolysate are also types of sugar alcohols. There are some sugar substitutes that use sugar alcohols as their sweetening agent. You have to read the ingredients list to find this.

Whole Wheat VS not Whole Wheat: To verify that a product is truly whole wheat, you want to make sure that the first ingredient listed says the word “WHOLE”. For example, it might say whole wheat bread or whole grain flour.  If you see the words enriched or bleached or unbleached wheat flour, the product is not a whole wheat product. It should be your goal to make a majority of the grains you eat whole.

Decoding the food label is a learning process.  Once mastered it can make achieving your weight loss and health goals extremely easy. Beware of all marketing. Remember that companies are trying to sell their product and will say anything to entice you. The food label is always the best place to find the most accurate information to help you make a healthy decision.

XOXO! The Dietnista

Meal Ideas for Breakfast

Can you believe another week has flown by? We have been working towards better health together for over a month now!  How has it been going? Have you been able to make the small changes to your diet that we have discussed?  I hope so! Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Over the past month we have discussed the importance of breakfast and the nutrients that it should provide. I started off by giving you an outline of where your breakfast calories should come from. I gave you specifics on how much carbohydrate, fat and protein is recommended for most people at breakfast. We discussed the importance of fiber and calcium and the sources of food that provide them.

Now I am going to give you some specific examples of healthy breakfast meals. The color coding helps you to see which items you can trade out.  I am going to give you some ideas for meals at home and on the go.

1 serving of Fruit= 15 grams Carbohydrate:

Small apple/Clementine/15 grapes/10 cherries/half of a small banana /half of an orange or grapefruit/1 cup of berries/small peach or plum/any fruit that is the size of a tennis ball or can fit into a tennis ball

2 servings of high fiber Starch/bread = 30 grams Carbohydrate and >4 grams Dietary Fiber:

1 cup of high fiber cereal (more than 4grams fiber/serving)/1 cup of oatmeal cooked/1 pre-packaged of high fiber oatmeal (more than 4 grams fiber/serving)/2 slices of whole wheat toast/ 1 bagel thin/1 sandwich thin/1 whole wheat English muffin

1 serving of milk/dairy (preferably fat free) = 15 grams Carbohydrate:

8 oz cow’s milk/6 oz yogurt/ 8oz soy milk/8oz almond milk

1 Fat serving if you did not consume any from your dairy source (preferably mono- or poly- unsaturated) = 5 grams of fat:

2 tsp of peanut butter/6-10 nuts/2 TBS light cream cheese/2 pecans or walnuts/1 wedge of light laughing cow cheese

Meal Option #1:

1 cup of berries (blueberries/strawberries/raspberries/blackberries)

1 packet prepackaged High Fiber oatmeal

Fat Free Yogurt or Greek yogurt

6-10 almonds in the oatmeal

Meal Option #2:

1 small apple (size of a tennis ball)

2 Slices of high fiber bread – toasted

8 oz glass of fat free milk

2 tsp of peanut butter

Meal Option #3:

Small Clementine

2- 100% whole wheat sandwich thins

1 slice of 2% cheese melted on the sandwich thins

Meal Option #4:

10 cherries

1 cup of high fiber cereal

8 oz of Fat free milk or 1% milk

Meal Option #5:

½ grapefruit

1 whole wheat bagel thin

6 oz fat free yogurt

2 TBS of low fat cream cheese

Meal Option #6:

McDonald’s Egg McMuffin with no cheese

Apple Dippers

Meal Option #7:

Chick-Fil-a Yogurt Parfait with granola

Fiber Every Day Helps Shed the Pounds Away

Now that the holiday is over let’s get back on our previous topic, breakfast! Have you been able to make breakfast a part of your daily life? If you have, do you notice a difference in how you feel? If not, what is stopping you? Let me know how things are going. Adding breakfast into your daily routine is definitely worth all of the added health benefits.

You might have noticed whenever I mentioned adding starch or bread sources into your breakfast, I encouraged high fiber sources. There is a reason for this. Fiber is one of nature‘s miracle phytonutrients, which is a component found in food that has added health benefits. Fiber is the part of complex carbohydrates that your body cannot breakdown, or digest, and therefore is not absorbed into the bloodstream. Since your body cannot absorb fiber, it is not able to absorb the calories or some of the carbohydrates from fiber. The most common complaint about fiber is the side effects of bloating and gas. Gas increases because our bodies do not have enough of enzymes needed to break down fiber. Have no fear, there are nonprescription items like Beano or gas-X to help relieve these side effects until your body gets acclimated. Increasing your intake of fluid, especially non-carbonated fluids like water and tea, will also help alleviate the unwanted side effects. Studies show that fiber can help lower cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, weight and certain cancer risks.  Fiber is found in the plant sources in our diet, such as fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, nuts and seeds. There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. On a food label it will list how much “Dietary Fiber” there is in a product and then below breakdown how much of the dietary fiber is from soluble versus insoluble food sources. Both types of fiber have their benefits and play an important role in overall health.  

Soluble fiber is found in foods such as oat bran, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, some fruits and vegetables, and barley. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and when cooked the food source will have a tendency to develop a soft and mushy texture. Studies show that soluble fiber aids in slowing digestion and helping you to fill full longer. It is also thought to have more of an impact on cholesterol, especially LDL or “BAD” cholesterol, than insoluble fiber.  Soluble fiber lowers cholesterol by binding to dietary cholesterol in the intestines and stopping its absorption. As a result, the liver pulls more cholesterol from the blood stream to keep its needed supply adequate and blood cholesterol levels drop. Another benefit to soluble fiber is especially found in people who have diabetes. Eating more soluble fiber helps to control the post meal blood sugar spike because it slows the overall digestion, or absorption, of food.

Insoluble fiber is found in foods such as wheat bran, vegetables, and whole grains. Insoluble fiber holds water and adds bulk and when cooked the texture of the food source becomes chewy and tough. As a result, it promotes bowel regularity and helps to move unwanted waste through the intestines and out of the body. By limiting the body’s exposure to unwanted waste, it is thought to decrease the risk of certain cancers, such as colon cancer. The bulking effect of insoluble fiber is beneficial for people who suffer from intestinal diseases such as diverticulitis, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and hemorrhoids. Insoluble fiber is also thought to help balance out the body’s pH in the intestines to help promote healthy bacterial growth which strengthens the intestinal tract. The gastrointestinal tract is a very important and a large part of our immune system.

Regardless of what type of fiber you are eating, foods high in fiber seem to be lower in fat, sugar and overall calories, while high in other essential nutrients. Foods high in fiber usually contain more anti-oxidants, iron, magnesium, B vitamins and protein. Studies are also looking into the health benefits of other phytonutrients found in high fiber foods such as lignan and phytic acid. People who consume a high fiber diet seem to have smaller waist lines.  Why you might ask? It is thought that it is because foods high in fiber help to satisfy your hunger longer because of how they expand in the stomach and intestines. As a result, people who eat high fiber diets have a tendency to eat less overall calories. In fact, studies show consuming a high fiber food or bar with 2 glasses of water 30 minutes before a meal will help lower overall calorie consumption and lead to weight loss.

Have I convinced you to add more fiber into your diet? Good! Just make sure you add fiber slowly. The average American barely eats 7-10 grams of fiber per day. Adding fiber too quickly can increase and worsen the unwanted side effects. It is recommended to aim for a goal of 25 to 40 grams of fiber per day. Be careful, because consuming more than 55 grams of fiber per day can actually decrease your absorption of essential vitamins, minerals and necessary fat. Remember breakfast is a great time to add foods that are high in fiber. Foods that have 5 grams of dietary fiber or more are considered high fiber foods. Try to avoid, or limit, foods that have less than 3 grams of fiber per serving. When adding fiber to your diet, make sure you increase your overall fluid and water intake and increase your activity level. More exercise or activity will help keep the fiber moving and limit constipation.

Need help figuring out how to increase your fiber consumption? Check out the following resource:

www.fiberone.com

Have a wonderful week!

XOXO! The Dietnista