Are you ready to get serious and mindful about your food choices? Well, educating yourself about soluble fiber is essential to your overall health. This type of food not only helps you to feel fuller, enabling you to lose weight, but also plays a role in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar. Most fruits and vegetables contain soluble fiber, but these particular foods are simply the best.
Here are the top 14 foods for health and weight loss.
Black Beans
This is one of my absolute favorite ways to get my soluble fiber intake! They not only add texture to food, sometimes replacing meats, but they are also rich in protein and iron, low in calories and almost fat free. With all of that goodness, you feel fuller longer after eating black beans, enabling you to lose weight.
Brussels sprouts.
This vegetable has become quite popular over the past few years, showing up on almost every menu in our favorite restaurants. This is because Brussels sprouts are delicious, especially when cooked the right way and drizzled with tasty sauce. But on top of all of that, this special soluble fiber vegetable is jam-packed with vitamins, minerals and cancer-fighting agents. They also can feed beneficial gut bacteria to support your digestive health.
Avocados
Eating avocados is one the best things you can do for your health, period. They are not only a good source of fiber, both soluble and insoluble; which make them extra special, they also are a fantastic source of monounsaturated fats, potassium and vitamin E. Spread some on whole grain toast or on top of your eggs to really vamp up your health and weight loss.
Lima beans
Another healthy bean that stands out because of its soluble fiber content. They are are known as butter beans and a yellow-white in color, containing healthy carbs and protein. This bean has been noted for reducing blood sugar spikes after meals, although they should be soaked and boiled before eaten as they are toxic when raw.
Sweet potatoes
Considered the most nutrient-dense vegetable in the grocery store, sweet potatoes are jam-packed with health. Not only is this sweet food high in potassium, beta-carotene, B vitamins and of course, fiber, most of which is soluble, making them a part of your meals can help you lose weight. Eat them often.
Broccoli
These little trees, as we remember them as kids, are packed with healthful goodness including folate, potassium and vitamin C. In addition, broccoli is an antioxidant and is known to protect you from cancer. On top of all of that, this incredible vegetable contains a ton of soluble fiber that supports gut health and keeps you satisfied long after eating it.
Pears
Did you know that a medium sized pear has over five grams of fiber? It’s true. And on top of that, almost 30% of that fiber is soluble; which makes this fruit a healthier choice over others. And let’s not forget that pears are juicy and delicious.
Turnips
You may not even think of turnips that often when shopping at the grocery store, but you should. This root vegetable is tasty in any sort of stew, or slow cooked meal and is full of potassium, calcium and vitamin C. But of course, turnips are also a great way to incorporate even more soluble fiber into you life.
Kidney Beans
Another tasty, healthy bean that’s a terrific source of fiber, but also an energizing carb and a protein that will keep you feeling full without the fat. Oh, and don’t forget the calcium and iron they contain that your body craves. Kidney beans are my favorite in a chili, but can also be added to a salad or incorporated into the best black bean dip.
Figs
Now I love figs, especially on a flat bread or crackers with cheese, so yummy! But I have to admit I did not know just how healthy they also were. As one of the first plants ever cultivated, both dried and fresh figs are not only packed with vitamins, they’re also a very good source of soluble fiber, so enjoy these sweet little treats.
Carrots
Since we were kids, we all know that carrots are good for us. And it is true, this vegetable does improve eyesight, especially in the dark. But in addition to all of the vitamins contained in carrots, half of the fiber it contains is soluble; which makes it a great daily choice to add to salads and sandwiches. I always put a couple organic raw carrots in my best healthy homemade coleslaw, so delicious.
Nectarines
A cousin of the peach, minus the fuzzy skin of course, nectarines are considered to be a form of antioxidant, also containing a good amount of soluble fiber, in addition to B vitamins, potassium and vitamin E. What a healthy fruit!
Oats
This heart disease-fighting healthy grain is is one of the best foods you can eat and will keep you feeling full for hours afterwards. Incorporate oats into your foods, have a bowl of oatmeal and eat nutty, grainy breads that contain oats to make a healthy impact on your waistline.
Barley
Barley is paired with oats quite often, especially in healthy baked goods, but this ancient grain can also be used in soups and stews to replace rice or pastas. It also contains a good amount of soluble fiber; which has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Last thoughts…always be sure to drink lots of water, at least half of your weight in ounces each day, especially when increasing your fiber intake. Also, when changing your diet in any way, be sure to take it slow so that your body can properly adjust.
