Fiber Up!

Your heart loves fiber. When eaten regularly as part of a low saturated fat diet, fiber is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Fiber can also help lower your LDL ("bad") cholesterol. Another benefit of fiber is that it can help you feel fuller longer. If weight loss is your goal, fiber is a great nutrient to add to your plate. Women need 25 grams of fiber each day and men need 38 grams. Foods that are high in fiber have at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. 

Fiber up with fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts. For breakfast, try having a high-fiber cereal or oatmeal.  Just 1/2 cup of oats provides 16% of your daily fiber! You can get even more fiber by adding on other ingredients, like nuts, fruit, and seeds.

For those with busy schedules, overnight oats are an easy and convenient way to get in your daily fiber without a lot of prep work. Simply add and mix the following ingredients into a container (such as a mason jar) and leave the container in the fridge overnight. 

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 small handful almonds (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp clove spice
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 3/4 cup milk (soy, cow's, almond, etc.)

Have fun exploring new flavors and textures! Try mixing and matching different fruits (banana slices, blueberries), nuts and seeds (walnuts, cashews), milk (cow's milk, almond milk), spices (pumpkin pie spice), and other add-ins (pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt, etc.).