Back in October of 2022, I went into the hospital for 5 days with a nearly perforated colon. I was in so much pain, that I decided right there and then that I was not planning to experience that again. One of the steps that I needed to put into place was adding about 35 grams of fiber to my daily diet. I thought to myself, “OK…how hard can that be?” It’s actually kind of hard. I started doing some research into high-fiber diets, by searching up a list of high-fiber foods. Here is what I found:
Here are the top 10 high fiber foods:
- Legumes: This includes lentils, chickpeas, beans, and peas. They are a great source of fiber, with one cup of cooked lentils providing around 15.6 grams of fiber.
- Whole grains: Whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, and oats are packed with fiber. One cup of cooked quinoa provides around 5.2 grams of fiber.
- Berries: Berries such as raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries are high in fiber and antioxidants. One cup of raspberries provides around 8 grams of fiber.
- Avocado: Avocado is a great source of fiber and healthy fats. One medium avocado provides around 10 grams of fiber.
- Chia seeds: Chia seeds are a great source of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. One tablespoon of chia seeds provides around 5 grams of fiber.
- Nuts: Nuts such as almonds, pistachios, and pecans are high in fiber and healthy fats. One ounce of almonds provides around 3.5 grams of fiber.
- Broccoli: Broccoli is a good source of fiber and other nutrients. One cup of cooked broccoli provides around 5 grams of fiber.
- Sweet potato: Sweet potato is high in fiber and vitamins. One medium sweet potato provides around 4 grams of fiber.
- Artichoke: Artichokes are a good source of fiber and antioxidants. One medium artichoke provides around 10 grams of fiber.
- Popcorn: Popcorn is a great source of fiber and is low in calories. One cup of air-popped popcorn provides around 1 gram of fiber
So…Looking at this list, I started to get a little depressed. I’m not really such a fan of the legumes. I’m OK with the whole grains, although there are ONLY so many ways to eat rice, quinoa, and oats…and then they start to get a bit old. I really like berries, but they tend to be really expensive in the store, especially a cup at a time. Avocado…nope, can’t do it. I’ve really tried to like it, but I can’t get past the texture. Chia seeds are good, but how to get them into my body; I just didn’t know. I’m not a fan of nuts. I never have been. Broccoli is a staple in my house, so that one is fine, but I DO like other vegetables. Sweet potatoes are good, too, but I don’t know that I want every potato experience to be a sweet potato. Sometimes, I just like to have some fries or tater tots. Artichokes? The only time I’ve tolerated artichokes has been in a spinach-artichoke dip that my wife makes, but on its own…I don’t think so. The last on the list is popcorn. While is has 1 gram of fiber, all of the extra stuff that I put on it to make it yummy offsets the benefits.
Call me picky, but I felt like I had a limited list of high-fiber foods to choose from, but I still wanted to make this work. What is my solution? SMOOTHIES!!!
I have started making smoothies to drink every morning. I created a spreadsheet for ingredients that I might include in a smoothie, and then I started crafting different recipes (on paper) that would yield me some high-fiber, high-protein, and low sugar smoothies that I can make every morning before I leave for work. Since the smoothies are high-fiber and high-protein, I don’t feel myself getting hungry before lunch time, AND I’m knocking out a good portion of my fiber needs in one 16-ounce smoothie that I drink on my way to work in the morning.
While these smoothies don’t knock out ALL of my fiber needs each day, they certainly do a lot better for me that what I was getting before I was hospitalized in October, 2022. I also see a difference in my cravings…and my gut feels better, too.
Some of my smoothies have interesting components, but honestly, I can’t tell that some of these ingredients are even in there. When I say interesting, I’m talking about:
- Black Beans (Canned)
- Kindey Beans (Canned)
- Pinto Beans (Canned)
- Great Northern Beans (Canned)
Remember what I said about legumes earlier? I CANNOT even taste the beans in these smoothies. And canned beans are super cost-effective. Black Beans have about 10 grams of fiber per 2/3 cup. Great Northern Beans have about 5 grams of fiber per 2/3 cup. I alternate between the two. I normally put in about 2/3 cup of beans, along with 2/3 cup of fruit (black or red raspberries have about 5 grams of fiber), and then 2/3 cup of 2% milk. Additionally, I add 1 scoop of Premier Protein Vanilla Powder, 2 tablespoons of PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of Super Seeds. The end result is a 16-ounce smoothie with 442 calories, 12 grams of fat, 22 grams of fiber, 14 grams of sugar, and 40 grams of protein. (Pics of smoothies below)
I do try to use a lot of different varieties of ingredients in my smoothies to mix it up, but the vanilla protein powder tends to heavily influence the flavor. I love the protein and peanut butter powders that I use. They have a clean, non-gritty taste with a very smooth flavor. If you would like to see my spreadsheet or suggest a smoothie combo, please let me know in the comments.
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Click on these links if you would like to check out the Premier Protein Powder (Vanilla), PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter, or the Better Body Foods Organic Super Seeds.
