Increase Fiber to Lose Weight!

I have lived a plant-based lifestyle for 20 years now, and I would never turn back!

However, even if you are not 100% plant-based, it does not mean that you can’t include more plants and fiber into your diet 😊

Research shows that fiber is beneficial for the gut, weight loss, cholesterol, blood sugar balance, etc. But, how do you go about adding in more fiber into your diet, more than just eating salad?

First, let’s understand what Fiber is: Fiber is food for the good bacteria in the gut. Without fiber, good bacteria will not survive. Studies show that having more beneficial gut bacteria and diversity helps with weight loss and increases energy metabolism. Fiber in a meal can also help you feel fuller, so you do not overeat. Fiber rich foods include fruit, vegetables, beans, whole grains and nuts/seeds.

Here are some fun ways to include more fiber into your life!

Swap out scrambled eggs with scrambled tofu with cooked broccoli and spinach
Switch refined flour to 100% whole grains- I prefer organic so I don’t get the glyphosate factor!
Make bean dips- white bean dip, lentil or garbanzo bean hummus, garbanzo bean “un-tuna” salad, eggless tofu salad with chopped celery and bell pepper
Add roasted chickpeas and/or sunflower seeds to salads
Have 1 cup of cooked veggies or 2 cups of salad per meal
Add beans to soup
Add extra veggies to soup, such as green leafy
Add black lentils to pasta sauce for a vegan bolognaise
Add 2 Tbsp of chia or flax seeds to your smoothies
Snack on fruit and veggies

BONUS! Prebiotic fiber is the best form of food for good bacteria.

Here are some of the sources that have the most prebiotic fiber:

Apples, onions and garlic, chicory, dandelion greens, Jerusalem artichokes, organic overnight oats, beans and barley.

I like to sprout mung or adzuki beans and add to avocado toast

Barley is actually a good weight loss grain, if you are not celiac since it does contain gluten.

Pseudo grains such as quinoa and buckwheat may also be better choices than wheat and rice for weight loss.

EASE INTO BEANS: If you haven’t been eating beans for a while then you will want to start with smaller beans such as mung beans, adzuki beans, dhal, lentils, tofu and tempe. When making “Bigger” beans such as garbanzo beans, whole soy beans, white beans, pinto beans, and black beans, make sure to soak the raw beans for 24 hrs. You can add salt to the water to soften. I also find that pressure cooking after soaking (rather than boiling), softens the beans a great deal. Eden’s, Jovial, Siete, and Jack’s Quality Beans in a box are soaked before cooking, however, I try to minimize beans from a can.

Sometimes it can take some gut cleansing and healing before bigger beans can be digested properly. I personally, only eat bigger beans a few times a week, and lentils and tofu are more of a staple. The more I have healed my gut, the more I can tolerate bigger beans. You can also improve your digestive fire by cooking beans with certain spices to help promote digestion such as cumin, ginger, turmeric, black pepper and rosemary. A cup of ginger tea ½ hr before eating can help aid in digestion. There is also the option of digestive enzymes.

DO NOT COMBINE BEANS WITH FRUIT

When including more fiber in your diet, make sure you are drinking enough water!

½ your weight in ounces of water.

BUT WHAT ABOUT LECTINS?

Lectins are water-soluble, so by soaking beans and boiling them, you remove most of the lectins. Cooking on high heat can also inactivate lectins. Don’t believe me? Here is a Harvard University article on Lectins:

Lectins

RECAP FOR DIGESTING BEANS BETTER:

1. Soak bigger beans for 24 hrs (smaller beans can be soaked overnight)

2. Boil or pressure cook beans

3. Cook with herbs to improve digestion-
cumin, ginger, turmeric, black pepper and rosemary

4. Ease into bigger beans, and start with smaller beans