1. 18 May 2010 · 06:10 PM ·

    The Skinny on Fiber

    Last week I graduated from college, it is my first day back at home and I’m already bored. Since I left sunny California for the gloomy Northwest, most of my outside activities have been postponed by the rain and I don’t know what to do with myself. Since one of my great loves is food, I’ve decided to get rid of my boredom by sharing some of the information I’ve learned with all of you!

    I am currently living with my parents (my mom is about to retire and my dad is thinking about it) who work during the day and have just told me that they are going on a diet. My little brother goes to school only 5 mins from our house, although he lives in his Frat house. Generally when I am living at home I do the grocery shopping and cooking and laundry so I am going to have a lot of time to try out recipes. While I don’t claim to be a great cook, I can follow a recipe, although I am sure to have some mishaps.

    Since summer is around the corner, and my parents are starting a diet, I thought I would talk about some great diet foods.

    This week’s focus is on Fiber!

    Fiber is sooooo important to youor diet and some research has shown that it can even reduce fat around your mid section. (aka that little pooch that hangs over your jeans)

    Here is a little about fiber and belly fat from Shape.com

    “Excess body fat isn’t the only thing that leads to tummy bulge: About 80 percent of us struggle with constipation at some point. While brief periods of irregularity are normal, they can make the scale creep up and cause that little extra pooch. The easy solution: Up your intake of soluble fiber, found in apples, citrus fruits, seeds, and beans. “This sticky fiber soaks up water to form a gel-like substance that stimulates the muscles of your digestive system so they contract and push waste through faster,” says Christine Gerbstadt, M.D., R.D., a spokes-woman for the American Dietetic Association. A simple way to boost your intake: Sprinkle chia seeds (found at health food stores) or ground flaxseed into yogurt or a smoothie.”

    I always thought that you mostly got fiber through eating whole grain breads and through that yucky orange powder my mom used to mix into water. I did a little research and I was surprised that not only are many fruits and vegetable great sources of fiber, but you can get 8 whole grams of fiber from a cup of raspberries! Yes really, raspberries! Who would have thought that you could be getting a whole 8 grams of fiber by eating some low fat frozen yogurt topped with fresh raspberries. Not me!

    The Mayo Clinic has a great list of high fiber foods that you probably have in your pantry right now.

    Come back later this week for some great high fiber recipes.

    Happy Eating!