by Donna Ryan

Created on: May 22, 2009   Last Updated: August 03, 2009

Fiber is one of the healthiest additions we can make in our diet. Not only does it promote good digestion, it also helps to efficiently stabilize blood sugar and lower cholesterol levels as well. In addition, it's a great way to keep your appetite under control if you're watching your weight.

Therefore, a regular diet incorporating fiber aids in weight reduction, keeps cholesterol counts low, and minimizes the chance of colon cancer and other digestive diseases and disorders. Plus, there are easy ways to make fiber a part of your diet which can be easily instituted in your daily menus without too much thought or difficulty.

For example, adding the following low-calorie foods will keep you slim and trim and assist in keeping your digestive system healthy too.

If you like popcorn, you're in luck. Air-popped popcorn is an excellent high-fiber food and snack. It only contains about 30 calories for a cup.

Grapes are another high-fiber, low-calorie food. They run about 60 calories per cup. Oranges, too, are another fiber food. They contain about 70 calories per slice. Pick an average-sized apple, and you'll be rewarded with a good high-fiber snack of 80 calories.

For breakfast, you can include bran (150 calories/cup) or oatmeal (150/calories/cup) in your dietary regimen. You can eat bran or oat as a cereal, of course, or use the ingredients in muffins.

A good fiber choice for lunch or dinner is whole wheat pasta or bread. Also, make leafy green vegetables, tomatoes and various kinds of beans a part of your diet.

Below is a recipe for "Lentil Salad" which is another healthy, if not excellent, way to add daily fiber.

1 1/2 cups of lentils

4 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup celery chopped

1/2 cup white onions chopped

1/4 cup chopped flat leafed parsley

20 halves cherry tomatoes

To prepare the salad, boil the lentils in water, then reduce the heat. Let the lentils simmer about 20 minutes. After this time, the lentils should be ready,. Mix the lentils with the celery, onions, and parsley. Add the tomatoes to the salad mixture. Sprinkle oil and vinegar dressing over the salad. Keep your dressing healthful by combining balsamic vinegar with olive oil. Add a dash of pepper and/or salt to taste.

As you will discover, you don't have to sacrifice good eating to maintain the optimum health benefits fiber provides.

Basically, then, if you complement your diet with such foods as fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, bran, oats, and wholegrain rice and pasta, you should be able to fulfill your nutritional needs with regards to fiber. The best sources are fruits, vegetables, beans, and oats. Just make sure you add such foods gradually, and you'll reap the benefits with respect to keeping your weight down, lowering your cholesterol, and lessening your chances of succumbing to such diseases as colon cancer, diverticulosis, and similar maladies..

Learn more about this author, Donna Ryan.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.