How to Buy High-Fiber Foods

Dietary fiber not only keeps food moving through your digestive track, it's also what helps to control blood pressure, lower cholesterol and prevent certain cardiovascular diseases. The next time you go to the grocery store, be sure to follow these steps to ensure that you buy food products that are part of a high-fiber diet.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Remember the recommendations of the food pyramid and shop the produce section of the grocery store. Look for fruits and vegetables that are naturally high in fiber, such as berries, bananas, carrots and greens. Aim to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

2. Choose foods with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving, which are "high-fiber" foods. Those that are a "good" source of fiber contain 2.5 to 4.9 grams per serving.

3. Use whole-wheat flour in place of white flour when baking breads and muffins.

4. Skip the cookies and chips and choose mixed nuts instead.

5. Add a daily supplement to increase your fiber intake, which comes available in pill and powder form. Likewise, enhance foods by mixing bran into hot cereals or ground beef.

Tips & Warnings

• Because fiber is a plant material, any food that comes from an animal has no dietary fiber. Consider eating a vegetable-based diet with limited animal products.
• Eat raw fruits and vegetables to maximize the fiber content. Cooking these foods diminishes the amount of natural fiber.
• Look for foods with high soluble and insoluble fiber content. Soluble fiber dissolves somewhat in water, while insoluble fiber is the indigestible food content that keeps your colon working properly. Both are important for maintaining overall health.

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