How Do You Get Your Fiber?

[Joni63]

I have relied on cereal and milk and fruit for years as my primary breakfast source thinking it was healthy. And I was able to get all the fiber I was supposed to on a daily basis. But, I checked some cereal prices for the gluten free cereals and almost fell over. I cannot afford to eat that almost every day.

So, I guess my question has 2 parts.

How do you get all your daily intake of fiber?

What do you eat for breakfast that isn't hard to prepare and laiden with fat?

[Lisa]

I don't think that I have welcomed you yet...so welcome.

To you questions:

I keep some cooked brown rice or wild rice in my fridge most of the time. Summer is here and there are alot of fiber rich veggies out there such as broccoli, corn, beets, carrotts, butter beans (lima's for those up north ) and fresh salads and fruits. Some here make some good smoothies.

For lunch, I often have cut up carrots and dip into the peanut butter jar - well really I get the individual Jiff containers. I have applesauce.

Vann's gluten free waffles are good with a fried egg, or jelly. Grits (ok, another southern thing), of left-overs are my favorites. I sometimes have a micro sweet potato in the am - quick and good and high in good stuff.

Perhaps as start.

[jerseyangel]

Hi and welcome,

For fiber, I eat lots of fruits and veggies, brown rice cakes, almonds, and almond butter (4g per serving!)

[AndreaB]

Aside from what has been mentioned, flax seed meal is good sprinkled on pretty much everything. Coconut flour is also good to mix in if you do your own baking. I would assume coconut would be good too.

[Michi8]

Aside from what has been mentioned, flax seed meal is good sprinkled on pretty much everything. Coconut flour is also good to mix in if you do your own baking. I would assume coconut would be good too.

This topic is mentioned in the most recent issue of Allergic Living (there is a column on Celiac in it.) Open Original Shared Link

According to their published list of fibre sources, flax seed is very high in fibre...better than any of the grain cereals. Flax seed meal is slightly lower in fibre than whole flax seed.

Michelle

[AndreaB]

This topic is mentioned in the most recent issue of Allergic Living (there is a column on Celiac in it.)

Thanks Michelle.

[Karen B.]

One easy ways to get extra fiber, aside from the fresh fruits and veggies I eat, is 1 tbsp Ground Flax seed stirred into vanilla yogurt, add chocolate syrup if you like. Another is to sneak shredded carrots into other things like chicken salad. Also, beans are very healthy and very high in fiber.

My favorite way to get fiber is breakfast muffins I make with Namaste Spice Cake Mix (prepared per pkg directions), adding 10 oz package of shredded carrots, 4-5 cups of walnuts, 1 cup flax seed, ground, and a small can of crushed pineapple (drained) or mandarin oranges (drained). I realized last time I made these that I habitually add 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tsp almond extract. Bake until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs, it may look fudgey right out of the oven but by the next morning, they are perfect, tasty and high fiber. I use cupcake papers. Makes about 3 dozen muffins and they don't have to be refrigerated. They will stay fresh for about 2 weeks, although I've never tried to see how long they last.

These muffins are healthy but my co-workers (non-Celiacs) love them and drop very unsubtle hints for one. And, being a mix, they are the most foolproof recipe I've found. If you get tired of muffins, you can make cookie dough by not adding but a spoon or two of water to the mix (instead of following package directions). This will give you cookies that are very healthy (and crunchy!).

NOTE: One cup of flax seed ground has more fiber (45.9 g) than one cup of ground flax seed (35.5 g). I use my old coffee grinder to grind flax seed nowadays (it's about the size of a large ice tea glass). I don't buy ground flax seed because I was told it goes rancid very quickly. Whole flax seed stay good a very long time.

[AndreaB]

Karen,

Does Namaste have soy in it?

[tarnalberry]

four servings of fruit and five servings of veggies are plenty to get in the 25 grams of fiber a day. really, more than enough. not to mention brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, lentils, beans, seeds (like flax), etc.

[Karen B.]

Karen,

Does Namaste have soy in it?

None of the Namaste products have soy. In fact, by the time I get through reading what's not in it, I feel like asking "Okay, what did you put in the bag?" :-) All of their products say "no wheat, gluten, corn, soy, potato, dairy, casein or nuts" and I haven't tried anything yet that wasn't good.

It has the following ingredients: Sweet rice flour, arrowroot flour, tapioca flour, evaporated cane juice, brown sugar, cream of tartar,baking soda,xanthan gum, cinnamon, cloves,nutmeg.

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I should have noted that I prepare the mix completely and then add all the other stuff and the walnuts go last. The batter glues the other ingredients together to make a muffin. But mix all the other stuff in very slowly unless you want flying walnuts. My dog still waits expectantly because of the first time I added all the walnuts. :-)

[AndreaB]

My dog still waits expectantly because of the first time I added all the walnuts. :-)

Thanks Karen.

[Karen B.]

four servings of fruit and five servings of veggies are plenty to get in the 25 grams of fiber a day. really, more than enough. not to mention brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, lentils, beans, seeds (like flax), etc.

This reminded me to mention Altiplano Gold Instant Quinoa. 5 grams of fiber per serving and the flavors are very tasty. Open Original Shared Link

I like it for an easy dinner and add a handful of gluten-free trailmix or walnuts to give it some crunch. But it's a great breakfast too. I haven't tasted a flavor yet that I didn't like although I tend to add a dollop of Benecol and a slosh of maple syrup.

[Karen B.]

Thanks Karen.

Dogs never forget flying food. He always looks soooo hopeful.

I dropped a GFP corn muffin in his water tonight and didn't even have to fish it out.

[Joni63]

Thanks so much for the warm welcome and the great information! I feel so much better being on this board and getting answers quickly. I stress over these things.

I'd love to know more about the grits. I've had them several times when vacationing, but never cooked them myself. Is it like cooking rice? Do you make gravy with it and have a recipe for that?

Jerseyangel, Almond butter sound delicious. Where do you buy that and do you have a brand name? I definately want to try it.

I never realized flax seed was so high in fiber and healthy. I'm sure that can easily be added to many recipes. Karen B - I'll file away your muffin recipe and it will definately be one of the first I make, thanks.

I've got to figure out a way to organize all this information. I've never heard of a lot of the foods mentioned on this board, or even the brand names. It's like moving to another planet and starting over learning what you can eat and the brand names of everything.

[grantschoep]

As a snack, I buy bags of dried apricots, Sunsweet brand, as I have them in my desk at work. Lots of fiber in dried apricots. They last a good amount of time.

[Karen B.]

I'd love to know more about the grits. I've had them several times when vacationing, but never cooked them myself. Is it like cooking rice? Do you make gravy with it and have a recipe for that?

----

I've got to figure out a way to organize all this information. I've never heard of a lot of the foods mentioned on this board, or even the brand names. It's like moving to another planet and starting over learning what you can eat and the brand names of everything.

Grits -- I have been eating grits since I was a kid and it remains one of my favorites. I usually just follow package directions but they are creamier if slightly overcooked. Don't forget to salt them because unsalted grits are like unsalted pasta -- way bland! The longer you cook them, the creamier they get and a dollop of butter or Benecol makes them yummy.

Cheese grits are a great treat. If you want to get fancier than that, take a look here:

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But, IMO, it's the simplicity of grits that makes it a favorite. I eat them as a savory item with eggs and sausage. My hubby eats it like a hot cereal with blueberries in it (like Cream of Wheat). You might also want to search this message board on "polenta" because we discussed that awhile back. Polenta is like an uptown cousin to grits. :-)

Organizing the info -- when I see a gluten-free recipe I want to keep, I copy and paste it into a text or MS Word document, paste the hyperlink in, so I know where I found it, and the originator's name and the date. Each document is one recipe. I have one document for specifically for tips. You can search in your computer much faster than on paper. If you decide to do this -- make a back-up. Every hard drive ever built will eventually crash and then you'd lose all your info. You probably already know this but it amazes me how many people don't do backups.

[jerseyangel]

Jerseyangel, Almond butter sound delicious. Where do you buy that and do you have a brand name? I definately want to try it.

I use Woodstock Farms. It comes in either creamy or smooth. Very yummy

Ingredients: Dry roasted unblanched almonds

[melmak5]

Currently, my favorite breakfast is brown rice porridge (mostly cause this is new to me and it is cheap!)

1 part brown rice (rinsed)

3 parts water

pinch of salt

In a sauce pot, bring all ingredients to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

(the rice grains will burst and get creamy... almost like oatmeal)

Stir in dried fruit, spices, seeds, nuts &/or enjoy.

I make a batch and eat it for breakfast for 3-4 days. Sometimes I even eat it plain, or throw on some wheat free tamari if I am craving a savory breakfast.

My favorite is:

Dried cherries, pecans, flax seeds, maple syrup and a dash of cinnamon and powdered ginger.

[PatBrown]

As a snack, I buy bags of dried apricots, Sunsweet brand, as I have them in my desk at work. Lots of fiber in dried apricots. They last a good amount of time.

Stoneyfirld Yogurt has something called inulin, which is added fiber. Quinoa: I dont really like it by itself but cooked it and used it with ground turkey or beef for stuffed tomatoes. I also use it in meatloaf instead of bread. Bushes baked beans(I eat them for lunch sometimes).I add Perkys Nutty Flax to whatever cereal I am eating. Its very crunchy and has lots of fiber. Buy it at Whole Foods but health food stores have it too.

[casnco]

I have relied on cereal and milk and fruit for years as my primary breakfast source thinking it was healthy. And I was able to get all the fiber I was supposed to on a daily basis. But, I checked some cereal prices for the gluten free cereals and almost fell over. I cannot afford to eat that almost every day.

So, I guess my question has 2 parts.

How do you get all your daily intake of fiber?

What do you eat for breakfast that isn't hard to prepare and laiden with fat?

That was my biggest problem also when I went gluten-free. For Breakfast I love short grain brown rice warm with milk and sugar, or with just raw honey. Raw honey because it helps with digestion. Also I have recently started eating a hot cereal called Quinona flakes. Very good and has the texture of Oatmeal. Then there are always fresh fruits and veggies. I have started snacking on carrots to increase my fiber and also on radishes. The radishes have a wierd way in helping with my digestion also. Good Luck!

[Nutmegger]

Just wanted to note that if your diet is not naturally fiber-rich, you can also use supplements, which is what my doctor recommends for me since I do have problems with maintaining a decent level of fiber.

I mix a heaping teaspoon of FiberSure, which is nothing but inulin from chicory root and therefore gluten-free, into my dinner each night, and I also mix it into a glass of water in the morning. It's completely colorless, odorless, and tasteless, and is pretty affordable.

[Joni63]

Thanks for all the great suggestions.

I've tried a few things I really like. Perky's Nutty Rice Cereal and Bob's Mighty Tasty Gluten Free Cereal with ground flax seed mixed in. I eat plenty of fruits and veggies each day too. So far so good!

[BRUMI1968]

dried figs are high in fiber too. Yum yum. Make sure not to buy them in the bulk section (risky), but to find prepackaged ones. Calmyrna are my favorite variety.

[hathor]

I've tried a few things I really like. Perky's Nutty Rice Cereal and Bob's Mighty Tasty Gluten Free Cereal with ground flax seed mixed in. I eat plenty of fruits and veggies each day too. So far so good!

I like Perky's Nutty Flax cereal even better. Of course, taste is personal. But if you haven't given it a try, do. It has 7 grams of fiber per serving (versus the 2 grams in the Nutty Rice), plus omega 3's. I probably have more than what they say is a serving, too.

I use that hot cereal you mention also. I seem to have to add more than ground flax to make it palatable, though I usually add some fresh or dried fruit and maybe some nuts, which, of course, adds to the fiber too.

A third cereal I use is Mesa Sunrise. I can buy it in bags at Whole Foods and my neighborhood food coop and it isn't too expensive. It isn't as high in fiber as Nutty Flax, but I can't stand to have the same thing every morning. I just make sure to add some fruit to the meal.

Sometimes for breakfast I will eat leftovers or I'll nuke a potato & top it with refried beans, salsa, etc.

One thing I do if I'm hungry and/or I feel I'm short of fiber -- airpop some popcorn in the microwave. That stuff is full of fiber and very filling.

Other than that, since I eat a plant-based diet and try not to add fat (or much of it, anyway), about everything I eat contains some fiber, assuming it isn't too processed. Eating lots of veggies & fruits is good for you, even beyond the fiber content, so don't overlook them.

Here is a chart of the fiber content of different gluten-free grains and flours. It is easy enough to find out the fiber content of common fruits and veggies on general fiber lists.

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