The Art of the Tweak: Adding Fiber to Your Diet

...Without alienating the rest of the world.

1. Start slowly. Do your research about adding fiber to your diet. The recommended daily intake of fiber is 25-30 grams. If you're like most Americans (or humans living in the Westernized world generally), your current intake is around 15 grams. Doubling your fiber intake too quickly will leave you bloated, gassy and unfit for socialization.

2. Drink more water. Before upping fiber intake, increase water intake to the proscribed eight glasses per day. Water will help move the fiber through the digestive system and everyone will be happier for it.

3. Do not supplement. Unless you have a medical condition that keeps you from eating real food, do not resort to the myriad products that claim to contain 30% of your daily fiber or that are advertised as helping you "stay regular" - those things contain concentrated fibers that will violate point #1 above. Most real foods that are fibrous contain between 5-9 grams of fiber per serving - not 10-15. Eat real fiber foods and space them out over the course of the day.

Real fiber foods: The fiber for the beans is doubled in this chart, since a serving of beans/legumes is 1/2 cup

Fruits	Serving size	Total fiber (grams)*
Raspberries	1 cup	8.0
Pear, with skin	1 medium	5.5
Apple, with skin	1 medium	4.4
Strawberries (halves)	1 1/4 cup	3.8
Banana	1 medium	3.1
Orange	1 medium	3.1
Figs, dried	2 medium	1.6
Raisins	2 tablespoons	1.0
Grains, cereal & pasta	Serving size	Total fiber (grams)*
Spaghetti, whole-wheat, cooked	1 cup	6.2
Barley, pearled, cooked	1 cup	6.0
Bran flakes	3/4 cup	5.3
Oat bran muffin	1 medium	5.2
Oatmeal, quick, regular or instant, cooked	1 cup	4.0
Popcorn, air-popped	3 cups	3.5
Brown rice, cooked	1 cup	3.5
Bread, rye	1 slice	1.9
Bread, whole-wheat or multigrain	1 slice	1.9
Legumes, nuts & seeds	Serving size	Total fiber (grams)*
Split peas, cooked	1 cup	16.3
Lentils, cooked	1 cup	15.6
Black beans, cooked	1 cup	15.0
Lima beans, cooked	1 cup	13.2
Baked beans, vegetarian, canned, cooked	1 cup	10.4
Sunflower seed kernels	1/4 cup	3.9
Almonds	1 ounce (23 nuts)	3.5
Pistachio nuts	1 ounce (49 nuts)	2.9
Pecans	1 ounce (19 halves)	2.7
Vegetables	Serving size	Total fiber (grams)*
Artichoke, cooked	1 medium	10.3
Peas, cooked	1 cup	8.8
Broccoli, boiled	1 cup	5.1
Turnip greens, boiled	1 cup	5.0
Sweet corn, cooked	1 cup	4.2
Brussels sprouts, cooked	1 cup	4.1
Potato, with skin, baked	1 medium	2.9
Tomato paste	1/4 cup	2.7
Carrot, raw	1 medium	1.7

4. Eat your veggies and fruits as raw as you can, with the skin on. That's where the good stuff is!

5. Know the difference between soluble and insoluble fiber & eat a blend of both:

• Soluble fiber is found in oats, barley, nuts, seeds, legumes, peas and most fruits. It slows digestion and maintains even blood sugar levels (among other health benefits).
• Insoluble fiber is found in whole wheat, vegetables and other whole grains. It causes an increase in contractions in the large intestine, helping to move food through and out.

**NOTE: Unless a food is labeled "100% Whole Grain" it is not required to be made with the whole grain - it can be enriched flours or other things that do not a whole food make**

There, now don't you feel better?