According to Christine Rosenbloom, Ph.D., a nutritionist at Georgia State University, a great thing about nuts is that they are a great source of fiber. She states… “The soluble fiber in peanuts helps control blood glucose and prevents dietary fat and cholesterol from entering the bloodstream, while insoluble fiber helps speed food through your digestive track, keeping you regular.” (www.aarpmagazine.org)

Almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, and sunflower seeds provide a good source of fiber. These nuts provide us with approximately 2.5g per one-ounce serving.

Planters has a new line of nut mixes under the label Planters NUT-rition. Under this title they have a fiber-filled Digestive Health Mix. It is a delicious mixture of pistachios, almonds, tart cranberries, crunchy granola clusters, and sweet cherries which helps promote digestive health.

If your digestive system needs a little help moving things along or if you are just looking for a healthy snack, definitely give this high fiber nut mix a try.  It is a fantastic high fiber snack.

A great and easy way to add more fiber to your diet!

Quaker Oats has recently introduced Quaker Instant Oatmeal High Fiber to the store shelves.  This high fiber oatmeal provides you with 40% of the recommended daily value of fiber and makes a terrific addition to any healthy diet.  It’s available in two delicious flavors, Cinnamon Swirl and Maple & Brown Sugar.  Definitely give it a try if you are looking to get healthier and add fiber to your diet.  It is also a great alternative to a high fiber cereal.

With summer approaching, it is time to pull out your blenders and start creating some cool summer treats. If you are trying to increase you fiber intake or are already on a high fiber diet, then you might want to make some fiber smoothies.

Fiber Smoothie Recipe

Banana Fiber Smoothie – 1 banana, 1/4 cup high fiber cereal, 1/4 cup milk. Blend in your mixer and enjoy! This is also great with strawberries added. Get creative!

A fiber smoothie is a great way to get extra fiber and vitamins into your diet.

While I was grocery shopping today I came across 100% whole grain Thomas English Muffins that have 8 grams of fiber and only 100 calories. These English Muffins would be a great addition to a high fiber diet. You could take a break from your high fiber cereal and toast an English muffin with your favorite jelly. The 8 grams of fiber would provide you with a high fiber breakfast. You could also make pizzas on the muffins for lunch or dinner. The fact that they only have 100 calories also makes them a great meal if you are trying to lose weight.

Add these Thomas English Muffins to your grocery list and be on your way to meeting your daily fiber needs!

If you are on a high fiber diet you are probably wanting to treat yourself to something sweet without straying too far from your high fiber diet plan. Fruits are a good source of fiber so try making desserts with fresh fruit. A large pear has approximately 5 grams of fiber - a bit more than an apple. For a low calorie high fiber dessert why not bake a pear with a little butter and brown sugar (go to Cooks.com and type in baked pears - there are several different recipes). There are many low fat, low calorie butters on the market. You could also increase the fiber amount even more by stuffing the pear halves with prunes before baking. Prunes are also a good source of fiber. (continue your reading )

If you are looking to lose weight and are tired of trying all the fad diets only to lose weight and then gain it all back again, then maybe you should consider eating a low fat high fiber diet. Choosing to eat more fiber for weight loss can result in you shedding pounds, keeping the weight off, and improving your health at the same time.

It is amazing to me that more people are not on a low fat high fiber diet. It seems that a lot of people only think about increasing their dietary fiber intake when they are constipated. People obviously do not know about the benefits of fiber. Fiber and weight loss go hand and hand for many reasons. (continue your reading )

For many years studies have shown that breakfast eaters are better at losing weight and keeping the weight off when compared to people who skip breakfast. However, in order for breakfast to help you with weight loss you need to make smart choices. People who eat a high fiber breakfast are most likely eating a breakfast low in fat and calories.

If you are looking to shed some pounds by starting a low fat high fiber diet here are some great ideas for a high fiber breakfast and some great high fiber breakfast recipes. (continue your reading )

The thought of drinking prune juice makes some people cringe. However, prune juice provides much needed relief to those who suffer from constipation. We all know that prunes contain fiber. Actually, one cup of uncooked prunes contains 12 grams of dietary fiber and three dried prunes contain 3.9 grams of fiber. However, prune juice contains only 3 grams per serving due to filtration in processing.

So, how is prune juice a laxative? Prunes and prune juice contain sorbitol. Sorbitol is a naturally occurring sugar, or carbohydrate, that works as a laxative. However, prune juice sorbitol cannot be digested by the body which may cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. Since sorbitol cannot be digested, the body wants to rid itself of these sugars, thus creating a natural laxative. So, use caution and start slowly when drinking prune juice due to the possible side effects of sorbitol.

The stigma surrounding prunes (now called “Dried Plums” by the FDA) has been that they are only eaten by the “older” generation. Aside from being a laxative, prunes and prune juice actually have many health benefits. Prunes: (continue your reading )

High fiber snacks are a great way to help you get your recommended 25-35 grams of fiber each day. Most high fiber snacks are also low in fat and calories, making them an excellent choice if you are trying to shed some pounds. Below are some examples of high fiber snacks. (continue your reading )

There has been a lot of buzz lately about the Fiber 35 diet. The author, Brenda Watson, of Fiber 35 was featured on a PBS special about fiber and dieting. Also, you may have seen the Fiber 35 Diet publicized online. Here is a brief overview about the diet:

It is recommended that we consume 25 - 35 grams of fiber per day. However, most of us don’t even consume half of that amount on a daily basis. Many of us eat too many processed foods and foods high in sugar that we don’t leave much room in our diets for fruits, vegetables, and other fiber rich foods. This is the reason that many of us just can’t lose weight! (continue your reading )