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Fibre -- a dieter's best friend
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Foods packed with both insoluble and soluble fibre in turn pack slimming, appetite-satiating health benefits.
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By Rosie Schwartz
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Insoluble fibre
Of course, insoluble fibre hasn't lost its nutritional appeal. Consisting mainly of a substance called cellulose, these fibres help promote bowel regularity by holding water in the stool, making it bulkier and enabling it to pass out of the body more easily. But because of the fibre-water connection, eating a lot of fibre, particularly the insoluble type, without drinking more water can lead to tummy woes, including constipation.
Suddenly adding more of either type of fibre to your diet can also lead to other abdominal distress, including cramps. Be sure to boost the amounts gradually, especially the gas-producing soluble fibre-rich foods, to help your body adapt.
Adding fibre to your diet
Armed with a little fibre know-how, hi-fi eating can be simple. Here are a few ideas to get you going.
-Use bran (either oat or wheat) or whole grain bread crumbs as a filler for hamburgers and meat loaf, a topping in casseroles, and a substitute for bread crumbs when cooking.
-Choose whole grain cereals containing at least four grams of fibre per serving.
-Read ingredient lists on breads and select those with whole grains at the top of the list.
-Eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables each day.
-Fill your salad bowl with broccoli, carrots and spinach or other dark greens rather than iceberg lettuce.
-Add a handful of nuts and seeds to salads and keep them handy along with dried fruit as healthful snacks.
-Add cooked or canned kidney beans and chickpeas to salads, soups, pasta, sauces and more.
Rosie Schwartz, RD, is a Toronto-based consulting dietitian.
Boost your fibre intake with 5 healthy whole grain foods.
Page 2 of 2
 | This article was first printed in the May 2007 issue of Homemakers Magazine. Click to subscribe online and don't miss an issue. |
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