Eating a diet rich in fiber can lower your risk for developing colon cancer. Adults should have 25-35 grams of fiber daily, or about an ounce. Try these simple solutions to boost your dietary fiber and satisfy your taste buds.
- Mash cooked lentils and substitute them for up to 1/3 of the ground beef in your recipe. You can mash as fine or as chunky as you like, depending on the recipe. (Cooked lentils: 15.6g of fiber per cup.)
- Cook pearled barley according to directions. Substitute for half of the white rice in your recipe. Barley is a great addition to creamy risotto, supplying fiber, flavor and texture. (Cooked pearled barley: 6g of fiber per cup.)
- Use a mix of popcorn, almonds and wasabi peas over chips for snacking. Toss the mixture in a little olive oil, then add your favorite low-or-no sodium seasoning. (Almonds: 3.5g of fiber per ounce, air-popped popcorn: 3.6g of fiber per 3 cups, wasabi peas: 3.4g of fiber per 1 ounce.)
- Use steel cut oats, rather than rolled oats. Steel cut oats have more than double the fiber and provide more complex carbohydrates. They take longer to cook, but a large batch can be refrigerated for a week. Add water or milk when reheating, and it's as quick as instant oatmeal. Add fresh raspberries for extra flavor and even more fiber to begin your day. (Steel cut oats: 5g of fiber for 1/2 cup cooked, fresh raspberries: 4g of fiber per 1/2 cup.)
- Puree canned or frozen artichoke bottoms with vegetable stock. Substitute up to 1/2 of the puree for mashed potatoes. It's so delicious you may want to leave out the potatoes! (Artichoke bottoms: 12g of fiber per cup.)
- Peel and roast beets and apples, then puree with vegetable stock. This makes an easy sauce that's both beautiful and tasty. Try it with pork for a match made in heaven. (Cooked apples: 4.4g of fiber in one medium apple, red beets: 3.8g of fiber in 1 cup.)
- Use crushed bran breakfast flakes instead of breadcrumbs in meatloaf and meatballs. Add ground carrots and celery for extra flavor, moisture and, of course, more fiber. (Bran breakfast cereal: 10.4g of fiber per 1/2 cup, cooked carrots: 3.4g of fiber per 1/2 cup, celery: 3g of fiber per 1/2 cup.)
- Use bean dip or hummus as a sandwich spread instead of mayonnaise. Use "clean" spreads that aren't hiding a lot of additives, sugars and salt. Better yet, make your own! You will increase your fiber, reduce your caloric intake, especially from fat, and turn your sandwich into more of a meal. (Black beans: 5g of fiber per 1/4 cup, hummus: 2g per 2 Tbsp.)