Fiber | Nourish Yourself

As you’ve read, we took a family road trip last week. In addition to all of the carseats and clothes and beach toys and books and crayons and Leapsters and the stroller and pack and play, I also crammed a cooler and a bag of food into our overloaded SUV. Of course I did. Why? Because it’s the best way I know to ensure that we are able to eat healthfully while on the road (and because if our 3 year old isn’t “fed and watered” every 2 hours he turns into a little monster – a cute monster, but you get my point!).

Since I often get questions about how to eat healthfully while on the road, I thought I’d share what we took with us this time, plus a few things I wish we’d taken.

For many of us, road trips are viewed as a chance to indulge in a host of “forbidden food” favorites, in fact, there’s an entire website devoted to Roadfood! However, for many people, travel is a rather frequent occurrence, and it’s all too easy during those trips to un-do all the good you’ve done at home! I used to think of travel as a chance to indulge, but I’ve learned how much better I feel if I stick to my basic healthful eating approach even when I’m on the road. Even my husband now agrees (as long as he can squeeze in the periodic fried food fix during the trip!).

Packing for healthy eating on the go involves just a little advance planning but can really be a lifesaver when you’re faced with the airport food court or the aisles of a convenience store along the highway. You can make some good choices in those places, too, but having some tried-and-true options in your back pocket significantly eases the anxiety of mealtime or snacktime.

For our trip, I tried to choose foods that could be eaten in the car or the hotel room without making a total mess. I made choices that gave us a good mix of sweet and salty, crunchy and creamy, carbohydrate and protein, fruit and vegetable. I made sure we had FIBER rich foods with us (because, you know, I’m a big proponent of fiber as discussed here). I tried to balance fresh foods with nonperishable foods and to focus on things we couldn’t easily find on the road.

Since we had access to a cooler (and to several refrigerators throughout the trip) I could have a bit more fresh food than some other trips might allow – that was a nice luxury!

These foods were largely for breakfast and snacks – we had lunch and dinner in restaurants or with friends or family every day – so don’t think for a minute that this was ALL we ate!

So here’s what we took with us:
A loaf of high-fiber whole wheat bread
High fiber cereals (Fiber One Original and Fiber One Shredded Wheat)
A container of cut-up carrots, celery, cucumbers and radishes
Apples and Nectarines
A half gallon of organic skim milk
Roasted almonds
Dried Tart Cherries
Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies
Back to Nature Graham Sticks
Kashi TLC Granola Bars
Gnu Bars
Clif Z Bars
Water!

What I wish I’d added:
Hummus
Almond Butter
Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
Cottage cheese or Greek Yogurt in single serve containers

Net, in general, my packing served us really well. But…I was light on protein-rich foods and really wished I’d had them with us at several points during the trip! The “I wish I’d added” list above would have provided the protein I felt like we were missing – live and learn! Next time, they’ll make the cut!

As for the next time you travel, try packing a few of your favorite healthful foods and see how much better you feel by the end of your trip!

I’m told I spend a ridiculous amount of time extolling the virtues of fiber. My clients are probably sick of hearing me go on and on about how to squeeze more fiber into their daily dining plans. But, the truth is, fiber is so critical to a healthful diet that I can’t help myself from evangelizing its benefits!

What is fiber anyhow?
Fiber is basically the part of carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, and grains) that cannot be digested. Fiber is only found in plant-based foods, never in animal-based foods. Most of us need 25-35 grams of fiber a day for optimum health, but most Americans get fewer than 15 grams a day. The best sources of fiber are things like:

Whole grains (in breads, cereals, or on their own)
Nuts and Seeds
Beans and other legumes
Fruits and vegetables

So what’s so great about fiber?

1) Fiber helps to fill you up and create a feeling known as “satiety”- a.k.a. a happy belly!
If you only know one thing about fiber this is probably it! Fiber is Filling with a capital “F”. The difference between a 200 calorie bowl of cereal with 12 grams of fiber and a 200 calorie bowl with 0 grams is unbelievable both in terms of how satisfied you’ll feel after eating it and how long you will stay satisfied.

2) Fiber eases constipation and promotes regularity.
Did you know that constipation is America’s most common digestive complaint? And in nearly all cases, it is treatable by increasing the intake of fiber. Since our processed-food-dependent American diet has had nearly all of the fiber stripped out of it, constipation has crept into the lives of many unsuspecting consumers.

3) Fiber can help to prevent a number of diseases, like heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes.
‘Nuff said.

4) When you eat more fiber, you instinctively eat LESS overall!
There’s data to back this up, folks. According to Dr. Neil Barnard, author of Food for Life, and part of the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine, for every incremental 14 grams of fiber consumed, calorie consumption goes down by about 10%…naturally! This happens because fiber is so filling that is acts as a natural appetite suppressant. How cool is that?

Ok, I’m sold. Now, how do I get more fiber in my life?

1) Load up at breakfast!
Choose a cereal with at least 6 grams of fiber/cup – some have considerably more – or a high fiber bread to make your toast. Add fruit (especially berries) for another fiber boost.

2) Consciously choose one more power-packed option during the day.
This could be 2 slices of high fiber bread for your lunch sandwich or a brown rice and beans side dish at dinner…but try to get another 12 grams or more from this choice.

3) Choose whole grain, high fiber carbohydrates at every opportunity.
Crackers, breads, cereals, pastas, rices, grains…always choose the least processed (aka highest fiber!) option available.

4) Add fruits and vegetables liberally!
Every time you are headed to the kitchen for a meal or a snack, think about how you can incorporate a vegetable or fruit into that eating occasion. Every. Time. (Hint: the skins often have the most fiber so try not peeling them to preserve all the health benefits!)

So there you have it, a short primer on fiber. I hope you’ll be inspired to try adding more fiber to YOUR life. I think you’ll be amazed by the results this simple change can produce.

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