We all eat something every day, and most people are interested in the health benefits of the food we eat. So, everyone knows about the benefits of plant foods, but most often they talk about the high content of all kinds of vitamins and nutrients in them, and rarely mention such an important element as fiber. Meanwhile, it has already been called one of the components of the recipe for longevity and an excellent tool for maintaining good health. It is worthwhile to understand in more detail the benefits of this element for our body and find out which foods contain fiber, so as not to miss the opportunity and include it in your diet.
Few people know what fiber actually is, what it looks like and why it is so useful. Accordingly, our knowledge of the need to consume it leaves much to be desired. Scientifically speaking, fiber is a complex carbohydrate made up of non-starch polysaccharides, resistant starch, and cellulose. It is unlikely that anything will become clear from this definition, so we will try to explain it in a different way. Fiber is a rough and practically indigestible part of a plant. Fiber can be thought of as a plexus of plant fibers. Now it becomes clear which foods contain fiber, these are all kinds of leaves, for example, lettuce or cabbage, beans, fruits, vegetables, seeds and grains.
Naturally, the question may arise, if our body is not able to digest fiber, then what is the use of it? Fiber is considered a nutrient, along with vitamins and minerals, it does not provide our body with energy, but, nevertheless, plays an important role in the life process and is an essential element of our nutrition. Therefore, it is important to know not only which foods contain fiber, but also how it affects the body. To understand the benefits of fiber for our body, you need to understand the mechanism of its action. Fiber is a hollow fiber that, when it gets into a liquid medium, significantly increases in volume. It is this feature that makes fiber especially important for our digestive system.
There are two types of fiber – soluble and insoluble. Soluble include resins, pectins and insulin. Soluble fiber stabilizes blood sugar levels, slows down food digestion and glucose absorption, maintains acidity, and helps prevent cardiovascular disease. Insoluble fiber is lingin and cellulose. It is called insoluble because it does not undergo a breakdown process in water, which means it improves intestinal permeability and promotes faster saturation. Such fiber helps to cleanse the body, protects against diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and prevents the development of obesity – which is not a reason to find out which foods contain fiber!
Since fiber is not broken down or digested, it can be used to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract, to stimulate its work and more efficient absorption of nutrients contained in foods. In addition, fiber lowers blood cholesterol levels, which leads to a lower risk of heart disease. It is not in vain that many diets include foods rich in fiber, they slow down the absorption of fats, promote quick satiety and a long-lasting feeling of satiety, thereby preserving the slimness of your figure. In addition, there are practically no calories in fiber that many women hate, so if you want to lose weight, you just need to know which foods contain fiber.
So, let’s take a closer look at which foods contain fiber.
1. Vegetables. As a rule, these are the first things we think about when it comes to fiber. Zucchini, pumpkin, beets, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, asparagus, broccoli, green peas, lettuce, and parsley and dill are especially rich in fiber. All these are quite affordable and tasty products, which are the basis of many dishes, which means that it will not be difficult to include them in your daily diet.
2. Fruit. The richest source of fiber such as fiber is fruits. The fact is that fruits contain a large amount of pectin, a source of soluble fiber, in addition, fruits contain cellulose, an insoluble fiber that improves digestion. Record holders for fiber content include apples, pears, prunes, plums, oranges, grapefruits, lemons, bananas and apricots. Do not forget about dried fruits, from which most of the moisture is removed and the maximum amount of fiber is left. So, do not bypass dried apricots, apricots and raisins.
3. Berry. In search of an answer to the question of which foods contain fiber, you should not ignore the berry. Almost any berry can be an excellent source of dietary fiber. Especially worth noting are raspberries and strawberries, which contain the highest amount of fiber.
4. Nuts. It is worth including them in your daily diet. Everyone knows the beneficial properties of nuts and their value for our body. Despite their calorie content, a small portion of nuts is able to provide our body with fiber every day. The largest amount of dietary fiber is found in almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts, and peanuts.
5. Whole grains. Many have already heard of whole grain breads and other whole grain flour products, as well as bran and sprouted grains. All of these whole grains contain soluble fiber and lower blood cholesterol levels. So, you should include in your diet whole grain bread, bran, add sprouted grains to dishes, as well as oatmeal, buckwheat and corn grits.
6. Legumes. Include beans, peas, and lentils in your diet – legumes are excellent sources of both soluble and insoluble fiber. So, just one serving of lentils can contain up to 16 grams of fiber!
Now, knowing which foods contain fiber, you need to find out the rates of its consumption. Nutritionists recommend consuming at least 25 grams of fiber daily. It is unlikely that someone will be able to immediately coolly change their diet and start eating 500 grams daily. beans, 1 kg of oatmeal or 100 gr. loaves of bread. It is worth starting with your usual snacks and eating a handful of nuts or a couple of fruits instead of chocolates or sweets. And instead of the usual pasta for lunch, use the vegetables you like from the list as a side dish. Start increasing your fiber intake gradually, and after a couple of weeks you will reach your recommended daily allowance. A dramatic increase in fiber in the diet can lead to unpleasant consequences, such as bloating.
Do not forget about the mechanism of work of fiber, therefore, along with an increase in its consumption, it is worth increasing the consumption of water. If possible, eat only fresh vegetables and fruits that have avoided heat treatment, as a last resort, vegetables can be stewed or baked in the oven. You can try to replace the usual sweet desserts with no less sweet, but more healthy fruits or berries. To provide the body with fiber, it is enough to eat at least 3 fruits a day, at least 300 grams. vegetables, 4 slices of whole grain bread, 4 servings of oatmeal or rice, and 2 servings of beans, peas or corn.
How to fit at least some of these products into your daily menu? Remember what mothers and grandmothers taught us. So, you should get into the habit of eating oatmeal for breakfast, you can replace it with homemade muesli with the addition of your favorite fresh and dried fruits, as well as milk, natural yogurt, honey or juice. If it is not possible to organize a three-course lunch and include vegetables for the first and second, and prepare compote for the third, then leave at least vegetable soup or bean soup. Knowing which foods contain fiber, you can include them in your diet every day, and we offer several recipes from the foods mentioned above.
Muesli with berries and seasonal fruits
Ingredients:
1 / “Art. oatmeal,
½ tbsp. yogurt,
2 tbsp mixtures of dried fruits and nuts,
2 tbsp strawberries or raspberries,
1 any seasonal fruit.
Preparation:
Put half the oatmeal in a deep cup, put half the yogurt on them,
then oatmeal and yogurt again. Wash the fruit of your choice and cut into very small cubes. Also cut the strawberries, if you took raspberries, then you can not chop them. Chop dried fruits finely and chop nuts. Put the fruit, berries and the mixture of nuts and dried fruits on top of the yogurt, cover the muesli with a lid and leave in the refrigerator overnight. Stir the muesli in the morning and serve.
Lentil and eggplant soup
Ingredients:
3 /; Art. lentils,
300 gr. eggplant,
2 tomatoes,
1 onion
3 cloves of garlic,
4 tablespoons vegetable oil,
parsley,
salt.
Preparation:
Rinse the lentils and cover with 1 liter of boiling water, put them on fire and cook over moderate heat, covered with a lid. Pay attention to the color of the lentils, red ones cook much faster than green ones. Peel the eggplants, cut into slices and fry a little in vegetable oil. Wash the tomatoes and make a cross-shaped incision on them, dip them in boiling water for a few seconds and remove the skin from them. Cut the peeled tomatoes into small cubes. Peel and finely chop the onion, fry it in vegetable oil, then add the tomatoes and simmer everything for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. When the lentils are ready, season with salt, add more boiling water, add the eggplant and continue cooking. After 5 minutes, add the tomatoes and onions to the soup and let the soup simmer for 3 minutes. At this time, chop the garlic and add it to the soup, cook for another 1 minute, then remove from heat. Season the soup with parsley when serving.
Zucchini soufflé
Ingredients:
3 zucchini,
150 g hard cheese
1 tbsp. milk,
½ tbsp. bread crumbs,
parsley,
4 eggs,
vegetable oil,
ground pepper,
salt.
Preparation:
Wash the courgettes, peel and cut into cubes. Boil the zucchini in a little salted water. Then mash them and cool. Add bread crumbs, a glass of milk and grated cheese. Beat 4 eggs and chop the parsley and add to the courgettes. Grease a baking dish with vegetable oil, put the squash mass and place in a preheated oven for 40 minutes.
Speaking about which foods contain fiber, do not forget that you should not abuse it, since its excess, like a deficiency, can lead to unpleasant consequences in the form of indigestion. However, vegetables, fruits, berries, nuts and legumes are not only an excellent source of fiber, all these products are rich in other nutrients, vitamins and trace elements, so their inclusion in the daily menu will have a beneficial effect on health. At the same time, try to maintain a balance of all nutrients and make your menu not only useful, but also tasty and varied!
Alena Karamzina