A Guide To Fiber In A Low Carb Diet

Low carb diets limit the intake of food having high level of carbohydrates, such as rice, bread, whole-grains, fruits and vegetables, and lay more emphasis on the consumption of fats and proteins. Protein power, Atkins diet and Zone diet are the examples of low-carb diets and they vary as per amount and type of carbohydrates being consumed.

It is quite interesting that all the low sugar fruits and non-starchy vegetables are highest in nutrients and fiber. So if you are looking for a high-fiber fruit and vegetable, you need to look for the ones that are low in their carb content.

How To Include Fiber In A Low Carb Diet

Both soluble and insoluble fiber is essential and good for the body but the problem is that they come attached with the carbohydrates. For the people who are on low-carb diet plan, choosing a high content of fiber in a low carb diet becomes a serious issue.

But there are some foods that are very high in fiber and quite low in their carb content. Flax seeds are a good example as they are very high in both soluble and insoluble fiber along with loads of other nutrients. There is 2g of carbohydrate in 1T ground flax and 1.9 of it is fiber.

To get high fiber in a low carb diet, include wheat bran, high fiber cereals, collard greens, coconut flour, avocados, hass, spinach, berries, broccoli and cauliflower in your diet. Each serving of these gives 2-5g of fiber.

Long-term effects of low-carb diets is not known but some studies indicate that these diets increase the risk of some health conditions that take time to develop, such as cancer, heart disease and bone or kidney problems. But increasing the amount of fiber in a low carb diet can help deal with these serious health issues.

Another way to include fiber in a low carb diet is to use fiber-enriched foods such as pastas, breads and breakfast cereals. Fiber helps to moderate the effect of carbs in the bloodstream, thus preventing weight gain.

As a general rule, 25-40g of fiber is recommended for adults and 20-30% of total fiber intake should be soluble fiber. You can also take fiber supplements, but they should never be used as replacement to high-quality nutritious diet. At the same time, too much fiber in a diet can prevent body from absorbing certain nutrients from the food. It is hence important to eat in moderation and couple it with loads of water.