4 tips to boost daily fibre intake

Following fibre recommendations can aid in healthy weight management, keep blood cholesterol in check and reduce the risk of heart disease. Make these dietary changes to help boost your fibre intake.

Eating a serving of fruit, vegetables or both at each meal and snack can significantly boost your daily fibre consumption. Canada's Food Guide suggests that women eat seven to eight servings of fruits and vegetables daily, while men get seven to 10 portions of fruits and veggies each day. Choose fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables with the peels intact to make sure you're maximizing your fibre intake without overdoing sodium or sugar often found in canned varieties. One portion, or about one-half cup, often provides you with between one and four grams of dietary fibre.

Whole grains are significantly higher in fibre than refined grains, so making the switch to whole grains is a good idea. Choose brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, whole-wheat pasta, whole-grain cereal, whole-grain breads, barley, bulgar, whole-wheat couscous, whole-grain or rye crackers in place of white bread, white rice, sugary cereals and regular pasta. Women need six to seven servings of grains daily, while men should aim for seven to eight portions. One portion of whole-grains equals one slice of bread, two cups of popped popcorn or 1/2 cup of rice, cooked cereal or pasta. Whole grains often contain two to five grams of fibre in each portion.

Legumes, nuts and seeds are packed with dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals and protein that help boost satiety and your body's energy expenditure. Nuts often contain about three grams of fibre in each one-ounce portion. Legumes, such as black beans, peas, garbanzo beans, soybeans, lentils and pinto beans can provide up to eight grams of fibre in each 1/2-cup portion. To incorporate legumes into your diet, make a cold three-bean salad, lentil soup or a vegetarian bean burrito on a whole-grain tortilla.

While it's possible to meet your fibre requirements from food, taking a fibre supplement — or eating fibre-fortified foods — is a quick, easy way to significantly boost your intake. However, always check with your doctor before taking fibre supplements, and be sure to drink plenty of water when doing so. Getting too much fibre or drastically increasing your intake can cause bloating, abdominal cramps, gas and decreased mineral absorption.