Americans don’t get enough fiber. Some estimates suggest that, on average, Americans eat about half of what they should be. That can contribute to all types of problems.
Fiber can help with digestion, gut health, immunity, metabolism, hunger, and blood sugar. Further, the foods that feature it often contribute to benefits like heart health, weight management, and a lower risk for diabetes and other conditions.
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In my opinion, one of the easiest ways to get more fiber into your day is to eat breakfast. Breakfast offers a great opportunity to include nutrition into your day, and it can be done in relatively little time.
Of course, not just any breakfast will work. Donuts, muffins, and Danishes don’t have fiber. Even though eggs are healthy, they don’t feature fiber, either.
There are fibrous options like avocado on whole grain toast, but my favorite option is oatmeal. Oatmeal is one of the best nutritional sources of fiber, and it features a good serving of both soluble and insoluble fiber. It can also be ready in under 2 minutes.
Oatmeal is also extremely versatile. It’s easy to add your favorite fruits – which increase their nutritional and fiber content – as well as nuts, nut butters, and more. Spices like cinnamon can also give it more flavor. Really, you can make it any taste you want.
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Don’t want a hot breakfast on a hot day? No problem. Just add frozen fruit. Adding some fruit from the freezer will decrease the temperature so it won’t heat you up when you start to stay cool.
A healthy fiber-rich breakfast with oatmeal as the foundation provides an opportunity to increase fiber intake and potentially help include another serving of fruit into your day. If you add nuts or nut butter, even better. A serving of nuts per day is associated with improved heart health.
If you’re struggling to reach 24-28 grams of fiber per day, adding some oatmeal to your morning could help you get there.
About eight years ago, Mat Lecompte had an epiphany. He’d been ignoring his health and suddenly realized he needed to do something about it. Since then, through hard work, determination and plenty of education, he has transformed his life. He’s changed his body composition by learning the ins and outs of nutrition, exercise, and fitness and wants to share his knowledge with you. Starting as a journalist over 10 years ago, Mat has not only honed his belief system and approach with practical experience, but he has also worked closely with nutritionists, dieticians, athletes, and fitness professionals. He embraces natural healing methods and believes that diet, exercise and willpower are the foundation of a healthy, happy, and drug-free existence.
