Fiber, or “roughage,” as I’ve learned it is also called, is a complex carb that comes from the part of a plant that cannot be digested. For all my optimal immunity and microbe enthusiasts it’s a pre-biotic so it makes for a better environment to increases the production of good gut bacteria like probiotics Acidophilus and Lactobacillus. There are two types of fiber: Soluble and Insoluble. Both types are considered Viscous, which means they bind bile acids, cholesterol and fats. Hooray! Wait, what? This means fiber is a tool for cholesterol maintenance. Here’s the breakdown further:

1. Soluble – helps slow digestion by pulling water into the bowl, turns ‘gelatinous’ and ferments in the colon. Causes gas and bloating. Including things like oats, barley and psyllium (found in fiber supplements) . Fruits and veggies fall here
2. Insoluble – like wheat bran – its not fermented in the colon or digested like it’s brother. It does absorbs water, though and encourages more and better bowel movements.

Increasing your fiber

• Choose whole grains over refined
• Buy quinoa or brown rice instead of white rice
• Shop whole wheat or sprouted bread instead of white bread
• Make black bean & sweet potato burgers (get the recipe here)
• Replace your regular bread bun with an open-face portobello mushroom! ((this recipe)) will leave you full and satisfied
• Try going plant based! Here’s a book I found helpful that breaks it down into a seven day trial and provides a story to back the claim that plant-based eaters can be just as strong or stronger than fat-burning ones. The Engine 2 Seven Day Rescue Diet
• Eat more food from nature. Whole foods. Plants. Swap-out processed foods for carrots, banana or berries, or half of an avocado with a little Mediterranean sea salt. It must have an expiration date or it doesn’t belong in your body.

Beware: FIVE fiber tricks to watch out for.

1. Quick Oats – additives and more processing typically give this option a higher glycemic index, so the pro’s of oats are oat-weighed by the con of added sugar. Stick to steel cut or rolled oats, or opt for my flax porridge. ((Insert recipe here))
2. Bread : although wheat is a clearly better option nutritionally than it’s evil cousin of the bleached, white variety, try replacing your bread with a bed of spinach, or opting for salad and soup instead – which is equally as filling! If you just want to sink your teeth into something, keep it open-faced with a single slice only.
3. “Added Fiber” or “Fortified with Fiber” labels – usually mean that they added something artificial and to counteract the bitter, fake taste have added more sweeteners. In fact, it’s a good rule of thumb, and an easy one to follow, to leave all “added” anything’s on the shelf. This hits the juice and soup aisles hard.
4. Dried fruit – This should be a simple one to skip, and buy fresh for your fruit fix! The sugar content on most dried fruit is higher than a bag of twirlers – what?! The processing removes a lot of natural fibers and should be avoided. One exception: Prunes! Because the nutrient takeaway is greater than the amount of sugar. To be safe, go for organic blueberries instead.
5. Microwavable popcorn – heavy with artificial butter-like ingredients and an abundance of sodium. Popcorn has been called a “high fiber healthy option” in the past, but the truth is that it takes 3 full cups of popcorn to equal 3g of fiber. It’s not the worst thing you can put in your body if you do air popped ((See my mom’s guilt-free,easy snack recipe here)) and could be a nice treat on the weekends. But avoid the temptation to purchase the nukable-option. (And don’t worry, you won’t even think of turning back after you try that recipe!)