09/28/2015
This Saturday, my wife Sylvia, daughter Sarah and I hosted a cooking demonstration, highlighting easy ways to increase the fiber content of our diets.
Diets high in fiber lower heart disease (by 40%) and cancer risk, help stabilize blood sugar, lower risk of stroke by 7% for every extra 7 gms eaten per day, encourage weight loss, lower risk of diverticulitis by 40%, relieve symptoms of irritable bowel, reduce the risk of gallstones and kidney stones and regulate your bowels.
The National Institutes of Science and the Institute of Medicine recommend the following fiber guidelines:
Men
Under 50 yrs: 38 grams daily Under 50 yrs.: 25 grams daily
Women
Over 50 yrs.: 30 grams daily Over 50 yrs: 21 grams daily
In general, you should eat 14 grams of fiber for every 1000 calories eaten each day. The average American eats only 15 grams of fiber daily, or about 1/2 what they should.
Add fiber gradually a few grams extra each week with plenty of fluid to allow your GI tract to adapt.
Tricks to increase fiber
1. Add ground flax seed to baked goods. 1 tablespoon is 2 grams of fiber
2. Add chia seeds to smoothies, cereal, yogurt and salad dressings. Each teaspoon gives you 3.3 grams of fiber.
3. Substitute coconut flour for 20-100% of the wheat flour in recipes. Every 2 tablespoons of coconut flour has 5 grams of fiber compared to 3.4 grams for 2 tablespoons of wheat flour.
4. Eat oatmeal for breakfast when you can. Each ¼ cup raw oats gives you 5 grams of fiber.
5. Add nuts and seeds to your morning cereal or evening salad. 2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds is 5 grams of fiber.
Products in the demo:
Tolerant brand green lentil penne pasta. Each serving gives you 11 grams of fiber and 21 grams of protein. Downside is- expensive at $2 per serving.
Barilla White Fiber Penne 22 cents per serving. 9 grams of fiber and protein/serving
Glucomannan powder also known as Konjac root. An excellent thickener for soups, dressings and smoothies. ½ teaspoon is 5 calories and 2 grams of fiber.
Waiora fiber. Each scoop has 20 calories and 5 grams of fiber.
Many have asked for a resource on using chia seeds: Superfoods for Life Chia by Lauri Boone R.D. is a great resource of recipes and nutritional information
Shameless plug: check out Sylvia's blog at www.thisihavefound.com
Recipes, cooking tips and tricks, nutrition and exercise info.
Top 10 foods for fiber content:
1. Lentils 1 cup = 15.6 g
2. Black beans 1 cup = 15.0 g
3. Oat bran 1 cup = 14 g
4. Raspberries 1 cup = 8.0 g
5. Whole wheat pasta 1 cup = 6.3 g
6. Pear 1 medium = 5.5 g
7. Broccoli 1 cup = 5.1 g
8. Apple (with skin) 1 medium 4.4g
9. Brussels sprouts 1 cup = 4.1 g
10. Almonds 1 ounce = 3.5 g
RECIPES
BLACK BEAN SWEET POTATO CHILI
Ingredients
1 medium red onion finely chopped
6 medium celery stalks finely chopped
5 medium garlic cloves finely chopped
4 teaspoons ground chile powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon honey or agave
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
4 cups water
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes medium dice (about 3 cups)
4 cups cooked black beans [or about 3 (15) ounce cans, rinsed]
Salt to taste
Green onions chopped (optional) for garnish
Crumbled feta cheese (optional) for garnish
tortilla chips (optional) for garnish
1 medium Lime cut into sixths, for garnish
Instructions
Heat ½ cup water in a large, heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery, season with salt, and cook until softened and onions is translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, 4 cups water, sweet potatoes, and a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat, about 5 minutes.
TIP
Reduce the heat to medium-low, stir in the beans, and simmer, partially covered, until the liquid is slightly thickened, the potatoes are cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the liquid at a simmer. If the heat it too high, the potatoes and beans will get mushy.
Taste, and add more salt and/or a squeeze of lime juice, as desired. If the chili is not as thick as you like, add 1tsp. glucomannan powder, stir and wait 10-15 mins. Garnish with scallions and cheese as desired, and serve with tortilla chips.
Serves 6 and provides 15.7 grams fiber per serving
BARLEY LIME FIESTA SALAD
Ingredients
1 cup pearl barley
2 cups water
1/2 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp. chili powder
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (8.75 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained or 1 cup frozen corn
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons agave or honey, or to taste
1 tablespoon lime juice, or to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
onion powder, or to taste
Directions
Bring the barley and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the barley is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat, and chill in refrigerator.
In a large salad bowl, combine the cooked barley, black beans, red bell pepper, corn, celery, red onion, carrot, chili pepper, salt, black pepper, cumin, agave, lime juice, lemon juice, cilantro, white vinegar, and onion powder until thoroughly mixed.
Refrigerate salad until cold. Even better the second day.
Fiber 7.2 grams per serving
MEDITERRANEAN PASTA SALAD
Ingredients:
1 box (12-16 oz) high fiber pasta
1 cup artichoke hearts
1 can pitted black olives, chopped
¼ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado diced
juice of ½ lemon (I like to add the zest of the lemon as well)
¼ cup pesto sauce (or more to taste)
optional- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Dice the artichokes and add all the remaining ingredients to the pasta in a bowl and toss gently.
Fiber content will vary depending on which high fiber pasta you use but an average of 5-9 grams per serving.
HOW TO REMAKE A COOKIE
We realize cookies happen. But they can happen healthier with just a few simple exchanges:
Regular Chocolate Chip Cookie 1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 cups flour
12 oz chocolate chips
130 calories and .45 grams fiber each
OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
½ cup butter or Earth Balance
½ cup applesauce
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 flax eggs (2 tbsp. ground flax + 6 tbsp. water)
2 cups quick cook oats
1 ½ cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
6 oz. chocolate mini chips
61 calories each and 1 gram of fiber each
