5 Sneaky Ways to Get More Fibre

Written By: Mairead Rodgers Russell, Nutrition Coach

Fibre is a key nutrient for our overall health. Getting enough fibre most days will help improve your cholesterol and heart health, keep bowels regular, keep your blood sugars and energy levels stable, and help keep you full. Most men need about 38g of fibre per day while women need 25g – that’s a lot! You can get fibre from whole grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes, and nuts and seeds. 

Looking to take your fibre intake to the next level? Check out these ideas to include more fibre in your favourite foods!

Blend white beans into your favourite pureed soups!
White navy or kidney beans have a mild taste and creamy texture when they’re blended, making them easy to add to soups without changing the taste or texture very much.  A 1/2 cup serving of navy beans adds 5g of fibre. Try blending beans into a butternut squash soup, potato soup, broccoli soup, or even tomato soup! Just add to the soup when transferring to the blender or using the immersion blender and puree until smooth.

Add lentils to your ground meat! 
Like navy beans, lentils also have a fairly mild flavour. Canned lentils are also soft, making it easy to mash them into your favourite ground meat dishes. A 1/2 cup serving of canned brown lentils adds 8g of fibre! Drain and rinse canned lentils, then add them to ground meat for dishes like pasta sauce, taco filling, or Shepherd’s pie. Give them a quick mash to blend with the meat.

Add oats to your smoothies!
Oats are high in a specific type of fibre, called soluble fibre, that is especially helpful for reducing cholesterol. Adding 2 tbsp of old fashioned oats to your favourite smoothie will add an extra 1g of fibre and blend easily. Because oats absorb water, you may need to add a bit of extra liquid if your smoothie thickens too much.

Add ground flax to your oats!
Already really into oats? Take that fibre further! 1 tbsp of ground flaxseed adds 2g of fibre. It has a slightly nutty taste, and is also high in omega-3 fatty acids, making it a heart health heavy hitter. Just stir it into your oatmeal before or after cooking, or add it to overnight oats with a splash of extra liquid. 

Blend vegetables into your pasta sauce! 
You could definitely just add cooked chopped vegetables into your pasta sauce, but blending them in helps make them nearly invisible. White or orange veggies, like cauliflower or carrots, are easiest to disguise but anything you have on hand will work. Frozen vegetables can be especially helpful for this because they can just be quickly defrosted and blended into the sauce! The fibre content will vary depending on the type of vegetable, but all vegetables will add fibre. 

Remember, fibre needs water! If you’re increasing your fibre intake, add some more fluid to your diet to keep your bowels from slowing down!

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