In our newest blog article we discuss the ultimate importance of fibre in your diet.
Many people these days are concerned about getting enough protein or some miraculous vitamins for one’s health, fitness and weight management. Yet what we get instead is that most of the Western population is getting much more protein than needed and not nearly enough fibre for our digestive system to function well. Let’s focus on fibre.
Fibre is incredibly important (or ‘fiber’ if you are from North America). What ultimately happens is that it leaves your stomach undigested and then ends up in your colon, where it feeds friendly gut bacteria, leading to various health benefits.
What’s more is that certain types of fibre also promote weight loss, lower blood sugar levels, and fight constipation.
When we said that we don’t consume enough fibre, it is so true! The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends consuming about 14 grams of fibre for every 1,000 calories you consume daily. This equals to about 24 grams of fibre for women and 38 grams for men. Now go and look at the packets of foodstuffs that you have in your cupboard, or check your popular fast food venue about the fibre those dishes contain. You will be unpleasantly surprised. Heavily processed foods and also those derived from animals contain almost no fibre. As a rule of thumb for us, check the carbohydrates on the packet of food – if fibre content is lower than carbs divided by 5, it is processed or heavily processed food!
That’s why, unfortunately, an estimated 95% of American adults and children do not meet the recommended daily fibre intake. In America, the average daily fibre intake is estimated to be 16.2 grams. No wonder that weight management is the problem. And even if you workout in the gym like crazy, without fibre your efforts would be quite futile.
Fortunately, increasing your fibre intake is relatively easy — you need to simply integrate high fibre foods into your diet.
How to eat enough fibre
We hereby list the ingredients that are high in fibre.
- Beans
- Broccoli
- Berries
- Avocado
- Whole grains
- Apples
- Dried fruit
- Pears
- Apples
- Bananas
- Carrots
- Beets
- Artichokes
- Brussels sprouts
- Lentils
- Kale
- Spinach
- Peas
- Chickpeas
- Oats
- Almonds
- Chia
- Dark chocolate
- Coconut
- Walnuts
Eat enough protein too!
We want of course to combine the benefits of fibre and still reach our protein intake.
Let’s have a quick reminder on the ingredients with a high protein content too:
- Beans
- Tofu
- Lentils
- Seitan
- Almonds
- Quinoa
- Peanuts
- Oats
- Tempeh
- Broccoli
- Chickpeas
Water is important
You should drink enough water when eating food rich in fibre. For starters it will help to adjust your body to a higher fibre intake easier. But also it’s required by your digestive system to function better.
Dishes that are high in fibre and high in protein
It’s a good idea to get the best of both worlds. Afterall, you will make more impact on your fitness in the kitchen rather than on the treadmill.
Here are some of our recommendations:
Try to eat beans and/or lentils everyday. They are a powerhouse of protein and fibre.
Fancy breakfast? Nothing beats oats with berries and almonds.
Lunch? Get slow carbs to feel full for longer. It pays off to add avocado too.
Workout day? Do eat seitan or tofu dishes.
Resting? Try lighter dishes with kale, broccoli, quinoa, spinach, carrots, beets, artichokes.
Treat yourself with dark chocolate and maybe even some peanut butter, why not!
Snack on apples, pears, dried fruit, bananas, almonds, walnuts and berries.
Cooking a nice dinner? Chickpeas with coconut curry is a treat. Avocado, tomato salad with kale and a delicious dressing is light and tasty. Roast potatoes, beets and carrots are amazing with pesto sauce. High protein seitan schnitzel – your ‘meaty’ go-to special.
So many options make it all very exciting indeed.
Shopping for Fibre
Let’s have a look at your future shopping list.
- Star products – lentils, oats, beans, chickpeas, almonds
- Tasty and healthy – dark chocolate, berries, peanuts
- Slow carbs – quinoa, whole grains (check out our popular slow carb diet blog article here)
- Good fats – avocado, coconut, walnuts
- Protein mega-boost – seitan, tofu, tempeh
- Vitamins & minerals – beets, carrots, artichokes, kale, spinach, bananas, pears, apples, broccoli
Now all you need to do is mix and match.
Want our help with your meals? Sure thing, visit our plant-based restaurant in Tbilisi (book a table by calling 574 07 68 09) or order delivery with the popular delivery platforms.
Want to cook at home but lacking some ingredients? Check out Living Vino Market for chilled or frozen vegan ingredients you can cook with easily.
Be healthy and love yourself!
