Dietary fiber comes from the plant-based foods you eat and is made of several materials that your body can’t digest. Fiber is classified as soluble or insoluble; both are beneficial. Reducing your LDL (bad) cholesterol is one of the benefits of incorporating fiber into your diet. Eating the right amounts of both types of fiber will help to increase your daily fiber intake. You can increase your fiber intake by eating foods made with whole grains, reading food labels, trying different food items, and being creative with the way you add extra fiber to your meals. Studies indicate that it takes most people 3 weeks to 1 month to notice a change in their cholesterol level after the high fiber diet is started.
1. Include soluble fiber into your daily diet.
Soluble fiber works in the digestive system to directly help lower your cholesterol level. In the small intestine, fiber binds to the cholesterol molecules and prevents the cholesterol from entering the blood stream and traveling to other areas of the body like the arteries. The bound cholesterol is then eventually excreted through the feces. Soluble fiber also forms a gel from absorbing water, which keeps the stomach full longer. This can help with weight loss. Weight loss also helps to promote lower cholesterol levels.
Oats have the highest proportion of soluble fiber of any grain. Some oat food sources high in soluble fiber include beans, peas, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries and apple pulp.
2. Include insoluble fiber into your daily diet.
Although insoluble fiber doesn’t directly affect your cholesterol level, it can help to decrease it by helping you with weight control. If you are overweight, insoluble fiber can help you lose weight by helping you feel full while eating fewer calories. When you eat fewer calories, you’ll lose weight, and most people who lose excess weight will see a resulting decrease in their cholesterol level.
Insoluble fiber also helps with weight control by adding bulk to your diet. It helps to prevent constipation, which will allow the soluble fiber to work more efficiently by moving undigested food through the intestines. Another benefit of insoluble fiber is that the foods high in insoluble fiber are more difficult to eat and chew, which takes longer to eat. This helps with weight control by preventing you from overeating; if you eat slower, you are much less likely to overeat since it takes your brain approximately 20 minutes to signal that you are full.
Some of the food sources of insoluble fiber include: whole wheat breads, wheat cereals, wheat bran, rye, rice, barley, cabbage, beets, carrots, turnips, cauliflower and apple skin.
3. Eat the right amount of fiber.
Although many people do not eat the recommended amount of fiber daily, consuming the right amount of fiber is important in lowering cholesterol levels. The average daily fiber intake of Americans is approximately 12 to 15 grams per day. This recommended amount of daily fiber is based on the discoveries of both the health risks and the benefits of eating fiber made through hundreds of studies on the subject.
The average amount of fiber needed by most people is 25 to 30 grams daily. The number of servings of grains, fruits and vegetables that you need depends upon your calorie needs. If you need a total of 2,000 calories daily, you should eat 6 to 11 servings of grains and 8 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. If you need to restrict calories or have a lower calorie need, you should eat 6 to 7 servings of grains and 5 to 6 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
It is not fully understood how fiber works to prevent diseases; however, studies indicate that over time a lower fiber diet can contribute to certain diseases and medical problems. Eating a diet low in fiber contributes to constipation, bloating, and weight gain even after only a short time period. After years of consuming a low fiber diet, diseases such as heart disease, some forms of cancer and many gastrointestinal disorders have been associated with this eating pattern.
4. Eat foods made with whole grains.
Refined grains are those that are stripped of their outer coat, which lowers their fiber content. Foods that include whole grains have the outer coat incorporated into their recipes and are thus higher in fiber. The darker colored grains are typically higher in fiber content. For example, whole wheat bread will be higher in fiber than white bread.
5. Read food labels.
Although you may think certain foods are high in fiber, remember to read food labels and choose those highest in fiber content. Many wheat breads vary in their fiber amounts, depending on how processed they are.
It is also important to observe the serving size of the food item so that you are aware of how much you need to eat to get the stated fiber amount. If the food is high in fiber, it will contain at least 5 grams of total fiber per serving.
6. Try different food items. Many people tend to eat the same foods they ate when they were young. If you are trying to decrease your cholesterol level by increasing your fiber intake, you may need to add new foods to your palate.
Look through the grain section of your grocery store where rice and pasta are located and read the labels, looking for the fiber content of different grains. Select grains you’ve never had and use them like others you have used frequently. Some examples are: bulgur, quinoa and whole grain pastas. These can be cooked and kept warm or chilled in salads.
Add fresh or frozen vegetables to dishes you normally eat without those. Try adding broccoli to spaghetti or spinach and carrots to soups. You can also add more whole grain foods to chili like carrots or beans.
Add crushed bran cereal or oat bran to recipes like cakes, breads, muffins and cookies. You could also include whole grain breads in casserole dishes. You may have to adjust some recipes in regard to proportions of other ingredients. Sometimes adding a little more fluid (water, milk, etc.) will prevent the food from becoming too dry. In some cases, you can substitute the cereal or oat bran with the flour in the recipe.
Use dried beans whenever possible. Some examples are: pinto, lima, navy, black and red beans. Whether you use canned beans or cook them from raw sources, they will contain the same fiber content and quality. Dried beans are very high in fiber and are versatile in recipes. You can add them to pitas and salads for a cold meal, or add them to many hot meal recipes like chili, lasagna, casseroles, pizza, burritos and tacos. Beans can also be a protein replacement if you are out of meat products or do not eat meat.
7. Incorporate high fiber foods into your breakfast. Many breakfast foods are high in fat and low in fiber. It’s important to choose high fiber foods when you start your day to help get the amount you need for the day.
Eat high fiber cereals or oatmeal. If you are lactose intolerant or do not consume milk products, you can try almond or soy milk in your cereal.
Add high-fiber foods to smoothies or yogurt. If you like a lighter breakfast, try mixing whole fruits and yogurt in the blender to make a smoothie. Another example of a light breakfast meal is to add whole grain cereal, pumpkin seeds, or dried fruit to yogurt.
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