As the holidays approach it is a good time to think about your diet and how to keep from gaining those dreaded extra pounds this year. Did you know that you can help with that by eating a low-fat, high-fiber breakfast each day? Are you wondering what that is? Here’s a little help!
I’m sure you can guess that a doughnut, or a breakfast burrito at McDonalds doesn’t qualify! According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, you should eat approximately 30g of dietary fiber per 2,000 calories. You should also keep your fat intake to no more than 30% of your total calories per day Aim for 5 grams of fiber for breakfast. Fiber-rich foods are naturally low in fat and contain cancer-fighting and heart healthy properties.
For breakfast, find your fiber in whole-grain foods such as oatmeal or whole-grain cereal. One cup of oatmeal will provide you with about 4g of fiber, and if you add some blueberries, blackberries or raspberries to it you will add another gram of fiber. The berries are a great sweetener, so avoid adding sugar! Other high-fiber fruits are apples (with skin), pears and raisins. If cold cereal is more your style, get a high-fiber, fortified breakfast cereal such as General Mills Fiber One, or any other products with fiber in the name – they all have about 13 grams of fiber! Most Kashi Go-Lean products have at least 5g.
In a hurry and want to grab a bagel? Make sure it is 100% whole-wheat, not multi-grain, not cheddar and jalepeno! That should get you 3g to 5g of fiber. Add some jelly or jam (skip the butter and cream cheese), and a piece of fruit and you’re ready to go!
Take care of yourself this holiday season by eating a healthy breakfast, avoiding fast food, limiting sweets and alcohol, exercising (even if it's less than you have been), and managing your stress levels!
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