I may sound like a broken record to my patients lately regarding fibre intake, however this is such an important component in our diet that most people are lacking in. When it comes to digestive issues many patients of mine are actually avoiding fibre rich foods as it is causing GI distress. They may be on the lowFODMAP diet, recommended to them by their MD or through online research, which is a low fibre diet. This should only be used short term for symptom relief while we treat the root cause, as like I said before fibre is very important for overall digestive health.
Low fibre intake can present as constipation, other digestive issues and even food cravings.
Most people are getting on average 15g of fibre a day, while the recommendation is 25-35g a day! This is one draw back to easy convenient meals we gravitate towards with our busy lives. Less plants, less beans, less complex carbs that take longer to cook = less fibre.
There are many ways to increase fibre intake, including more plants, beans and legumes, complex carbs, ground flax, chia or psyllium powder. What can you add to your diet this week? It may be one of these delicious fibre rich muffins that really do help you poop!
Examples of healthy fibre rich foods:
1/2 cup oats = 4g
1 tbsp ground flax seed = 2g; 1 tbsp chia seeds = 6g
1 apple = 4-5g
1/2 cup lentils - 7g
1 medium sweet potato - 3-5g
1 tbsp psyllium powder - 5g
Recipe:
Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter (or vegan butter)
1 cup oats
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup dairy free milk + 1 tbsp vinegar, left to sit for a few minutes)
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar (optional)
1 cup whole wheat flour (or gluten free flour eg. Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten free baking flour)
1 cup blueberries
Mix all ingredients in order they are listed. Fill 12 muffin cups using muffin liner. Bake at 375F for 20 minutes.