How to Add Fiber Supplement to Recipes

A diet high in fiber is necessary to maintain a healthy body. There are two types of fiber -- soluble and insoluble, both of equal importance. Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables and grains. To add fiber to your diet, simply eat more of these foods. Alternatively, you can add fiber supplements to your recipes in the form of store-bought pills or powders and/or create your own supplements by adding high-fiber additives.

Things You'll Need

• Powder fiber supplement
• Bran cereal
• Beans
• Oats
• Berries
• Vegetables
• Flaxseed and/or wheat germ
• Nuts

Instructions

Powder Supplements

1. Purchase a fiber supplement in powder form from your local pharmacy. Sometimes called "bulk-forming laxatives," products such as Metamucil and Benefiber are some of the most commonly known types. Take the flavor of the dish you will prepare into consideration.

2. Add the powder to recipes such as gelatins, milkshakes/smoothies, or fruit bars to increase their fiber punch. Mix in the powder at the most liquid portion of your recipe until it is completely dissolved (traditionally, powder supplements are mixed into water and drunk by themselves).

3. Cook and serve as normal.

Substitutions for All-Purpose Flour

1. Purchase a 100 percent bran cereal.

2. Grind the cereal in the blender until it is the consistency of flour (approximately 60 to 90 seconds).

3. Substitute bran flour for anywhere up to 1/4 cup of your all-purpose flour, which is low in fiber and has little nutritional value (1 cup of this mixture adds 10 g of fiber to your recipe).

4. Bake and serve as the recipe requires. Do this for breads, pancakes, muffins, etc.

Fiber-Rich Additives

1. Add in one additional ingredient to your favorite recipes (add nuts to your muffins or bread, add beans and extra vegetables to your soup, add chickpeas or kidney beans to your favorite salad, throw in some flaxseeds to your muffin or bread mix, add berries to your oatmeal or dessert).

2. Fold in the additional ingredient before baking begins or toss on after the dish is completed.

3. Sprinkle a pinch of wheat germ on your dish just before serving. Wheat germ is a light, almost flavorless part of the wheat kernel that packs a giant fiber punch.

Go Vegetarian

1. Eliminate the meat in your recipe, since fiber is not found in animal products.

2. Substitute meat with a hearty vegetable that will stand up to the flavors of the dish (i.e. beef lasagna to eggplant lasagna, fried chicken to fried zucchini, squash and okra).

3. Prepare the recipe as normal and serve accordingly, adjusting any sauces where necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• When taking fiber supplements, make sure to drink extra water. This allows the fiber to pass through your system more easily.

References

• Dietary Fiber: An essential part of a healthy diet
• The Nutrition Source, Fiber: Start Roughing it!
• Fiber: How to increase the amount in your diet