The Downlown on Detox Diets II: Fall in Love With Fiber
Fiber is an essential component of any healthy diet, and building a detox or cleanse program around increasing dietary fiber is the true secret to a successful and healthy plan. Consuming at least 25-30 grams of fiber everyday should be the cornerstone of your detox. Maintaining this intake for life will keep your body running at its best.
What are the benefits of a high-fiber diet? Glad you asked!
- Keeps you feeling full: Fiber-rich foods typically require more chewing, which helps to control overeating. In addition, your body can’t digest fibers, which means that bulky fiber foods remain in your stomach for a long time. This provides a feeling a fullness and satiety, which makes sticking to any diet program a lot easier.
- Promotes digestive health: Fiber increases movement through your digestive tract, which prevents the build-up of metabolic waste products and undigested foods in your colon. At the risk of giving a little TMI, increased movement through the intestines is code for regular bowel movements. Constipation and hemorrhoids are often improved by increasing dietary fiber.
- Lowers your cholesterol and promotes heart health: Fiber acts like a big sponge by soaking up excess LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and marches it right on out. Decreasing your LDLs decreases your risk of developing heart disease.
- Decreases cancer risk: Studies have proven that increased dietary fiber leads to decreased rates of colorectal cancer, which is the third most common cancer in the U.S.
- Stabilizes your blood sugar and increases energy: Fiber’s slowed digestion and absorption allows the glucose in foods to release into your bloodstream at a slow and steady rate. A steady glucose level maintains energy levels, and prevents insulin spikes and crashes. This trait is especially important for diabetics, but the benefits of a steady blood sugar are great for anyone.
Now that you know why fiber is so amazing, here is a list of some fiber-packed foods.
|
Fiberific Foods |
||
| Fruits | Serving size | Total fiber (g) |
| Pear | 1 medium | 5.1 |
| Figs, dried | 2 medium | 3.7 |
| Blueberries | 1 cup | 3.5 |
| Apple, with skin | 1 medium | 3.3 |
| Strawberries | 1 cup | 3.3 |
| Peaches, dried | 3 halves | 3.2 |
| Orange | 1 medium | 3.1 |
| Apricots, dried | 10 halves | 2.6 |
| Raisins | 1.5-ounce box | 1.6 |
| Grains, cereal & pasta | Serving size | Total fiber (g) |
| Spaghetti, whole-wheat | 1 cup | 6.3 |
| Bran flakes | 3/4 cup | 5.1 |
| Oatmeal | 1 cup | 4 |
| Bread, rye | 1 slice | 1.9 |
| Bread, whole-wheat | 1 slice | 1.9 |
| Bread, mixed-grain | 1 slice | 1.7 |
| Bread, cracked-wheat | 1 slice | 1.4 |
| Legumes, nuts & seeds | Serving size | Total fiber (g) |
| Lentils | 1 cup | 15.6 |
| Black beans | 1 cup | 15 |
| Lima beans | 1 cup | 13.2 |
| Baked beans, canned | 1 cup | 10.4 |
| Almonds | 24 nuts | 3.3 |
| Pistachio nuts | 47 nuts | 2.9 |
| Peanuts | 28 nuts | 2.3 |
| Cashews | 18 nuts | 0.9 |
| Vegetables | Serving size | Total fiber (g) |
| Peas | 1 cup | 8.8 |
| Artichoke, cooked | 1 medium | 6.5 |
| Brussels sprouts | 1 cup | 6.4 |
| Turnip greens, boiled | 1 cup | 5 |
| Potato, baked with skin | 1 medium | 4.4 |
| Corn | 1 cup | 4.2 |
| Popcorn, air-popped | 3 cups | 3.6 |
| Tomato paste | 1/4 cup | 3 |
| Carrot | 1 medium | 2 |
About the author
Written by Elana
Bella Body Fitness Nutrition Consultant Elana Vey is an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Registered Dietetic Technician and chef with a knack for creating deliciously healthy recipes for busy multi-taskers like herself. Elana inspires women to eat foods that make them happy, energized and motivated to live healthy every day.
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