Playing with Fibre

If you want to slash your risk of heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, obesity and possibly breast cancer, reach for fibre-rich foods. Dietary fibre is the part of a plant not completely broken down during digestion. It protects you by reducing blood cholesterol levels, keeping blood sugar levels on an even keel and helping the gastrointestinal system function smoothly. Fibre-rich foods also help prevent overeating, because they make you feel full. The National Academies Institute of Medicine currently recommends that women under the age of 50 consume 25 grams of fibre each day. Here are five easy ways to add fibre to your diet:

Start your day with a whole grain cereal containing at least four grams of fibre per serving. Better yet, consider mixing a whole grain cereal that contains at least two grams of fibre per serving with a very high-fibre bran cereal-many of which contain more than 10 grams of fibre per serving.

A good way to reach your fibre goal is to eat at least five-but ideally closer to 10-servings of fruit and vegetables every day. While some produce is higher in fibre than others, the best plan is to eat a wide variety, with the skin on whenever possible. For example, the skin of a large baked potato contains more than four grams of fibre.

Choose 100 per cent whole grain bread, pasta, bagels, crackers, tortillas, muffins and brown rice. Most whole grain products contain at least two grams of fibre per serving. Carefully check labels: "whole wheat flour" means it's whole grain; "wheat flour" doesn't.

Beans, at about seven grams of fibre per half-cup (125 mL) serving, are good choices. Beans are also loaded with vitamins, minerals and plant compounds that help fight disease. Enjoy them in soups, salads or chili or wrapped in warm tortillas.

Nuts, seeds and dried fruit are good fibre sources, making trail mix a great snack (control calories by limiting serving size to half a cup/125 mL). Enjoy air-popped or low-fat microwave popcorn, roasted soy nuts or baked tortilla chips with salsa. Add fibre to your diet gradually and drink lots of fluids. Too much fibre can cause gas, and fibre without fluids can result in constipation.

Nutritionist and registered dietitian Liz Pearson is co-author of The Ultimate Healthy Eating Plan (That Still Leaves Room for Chocolate) (Whitecap).

Fibre filled A rundown of fibre-rich foods (based on single servings): Whole grains • bran muffin, medium, 4 g • whole wheat spaghetti, cooked (1 cup/250 mL), 3.3 g • whole wheat bread (1 slice), 2.5 g Whole grain cereals • Kellogg's All-Bran Buds (1/3 cup/75 mL), 13 g • Weetabix (2 biscuits), 4.6 g • Post Spoon Size Shredded Wheat (2/3 cup/150 mL), 3.7 g Beans • chili (1 cup/250 mL), 8 g • soy nuts, roasted (1/4 cup/50 mL), 6 g • hummus (2 tbsp/30 mL), 1.7 g Nuts and seeds • almonds (1/4 cup/50 mL), 4.2 g • flaxseed (1 tbsp/15 mL), 2.3 g • peanut butter (2 tbsp/30 mL), 1.9 g Fruit • pear, medium, 5.1 g • apple, medium, 3.3 g • banana, medium, 3 g Vegetables • squash, cooked (1/2 cup/125 mL), 4.5 g • peas (1/2 cup/125 mL), 4.4 g • potato, with skin, medium, 3.8 g Snacks • baked tortilla chips (27 chips), 3 g • popcorn (2 cups/500 mL), 2.1 g