At least 5 servings daily are recommended but to get the full benefit, 9 to 12 daily servings are necessary.
They provide vitamins, minerals, and fibre to supplement your diet. These foods help prevent cancers, fight infections, improve bowel movements, ease joint pains and enhance blood circulation. The entire body benefits from fibre intake.
What’s a serving?
- 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower)
- ó cup of other (juicy) vegetables (christophene, cucumber)
- . cup vegetable or fruit juice
- 1 medium apple, banana, orange or other fruit
- ó cup of fruit (chopped, cooked, frozen or canned)
- 2 tablespoons dried fruit or seed (prunes, raisins, nuts, peas).
- Be creative by adding peas and beans, whole wheat, bran or veggies to your dishes. These can also be grated or cooked into rice or pasta.
Start slowly.
When you first add fiber to your diet you may notice bloating, cramping or gas. But you can prevent this by making smaller changes in your diet over a period of time. Start with one of the changes listed above, then wait several days to a week before making another. If one change doesn’t seem to work for you, try a different one.
Be sure to drink more fluids when you increase the amount of fiber you eat. Liquids help your body digest fiber. Try to drink 5 glasses of no- or low-calorie beverages, such as water, unsweetened tea each day.
Try the following ideas to increase the fiber in your diet:
- Eat at least 2 cups of fruits and 3 cups of vegetables each day.
- Fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber include:
Beans such as
- red/kidney (1/2 cup = 8.2 grams),
- pinto (1/2 cup = 7.7 grams),
- black (1/2 cup = 7.5),
- lima (1/2 = 6.6 grams),
- white (1/2 cup = 6.3 grams)
and
- lentils (1/2 cup = 6.2 grams).
- Split peas, pigeon peas and channa are also high in fibre.
- Green peas (1/2 cup = 4.4 grams)
- Sweet potatoes (1 medium sweet potato = 4.8 grams).
- Plantain, yam, cassava and dasheen.
- Spinach (1/2 cup = 3.5 grams).
- Pakchoi, , Bhagi, Calaloo
- Broccoli (1/2 cup =2 grams)
- Cauliflower and pumpkin
- Carrots (1 =1.5 gams)
- Squash (3/4 cup =7 grams)
- Romaine lettuce (1 cup =1 gram)
- Oranges (I medium orange = 3.1 grams)
- Pears (I small pear = 4.4 grams)
- Apples (1 medium apple = 3.3 grams)
- Berries such as raspberries (1/2 cup = 4.0 grams) and blackberries (1/2cup = 3.8 grams)
- Prunes (1/2 cup = 3.8 grams)
- Figs and dates (1/4 cup = 3.6 grams)