Dietary fibre is an essential nutrient required for proper digestion of foods, proper functioning of the digestive tract at large, and for helping you feel full. A high fibre enriched diet can aid in fat loss and improve your overall digestive health. Fibre waylays hunger, so it helps prevent you from over-eating those tempting snacks in the office break room. A diet with adequate amount of fibre also improves your weight management and the well-being of your body.

Oats, lentils, beans, wholegrain cereals, green leafy vegetables and dry fruits in particular are known to have rich fibre content.

Dried fruits are high fibre foods and are also fat free.  One piece of dried fruit contains about the same amount of nutrients as the fresh fruit, but condensed in a much smaller package. Eating dried fruit is healthier alternative to fruit juice or other sugary treats. Dried fruits are popular for a plethora of reasons dried fruits don’t spoil as quickly and is an easy snack to pack for a hectic day.

Amongst dry fruits, almonds are a source of many nutrients such as vitamin E, dietary fibre, protein etc. A handful of almonds with satiating properties promote feelings of fullness, which may keep hunger at bay between meals.

Almonds are rich in fibre, research shows that almonds are a source of protein and high in dietary fibre, can help in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, may improve blood sugar control in people with type II diabetes and help lower the blood sugar impact of carbohydrate foods, which affects fasting insulin levels. Therefore, almonds are a healthy snack option to increase your fibre intake.  

We suggest these easy ways to increase fibre intake:

·       Go for whole fruits and vegetables instead of juice. And keep the peel on

·       Add fresh or frozen berries to cereal, yogurt and smoothies

·       Sprinkle on high fibre cereal to your usual cereal or yogurt

·       Add crushed high fibre cereal to pancake batter, muffins, and other baked goods

·       Enjoy whole grains more often than refined grains.

·       Make friends with lentils, chickpeas, dried peas and beans

·       Grab a handful of almonds as a snack

 

 

We have some interesting and easy recipes that may help you increase your fibre intake:

Badam Ki Shammi

Ingredients:

Almonds whole– 1/3 cup

Soya bean granules – 1/2 cup

Channa dal – 1/4 cup

Onion dices – 1/2 cup

Ginger chopped – 2tbsp

Garlic chopped — 1 and 1/2tbsp

Dried red chilli — 1 no

Green chilly slit – 1 no

Shahijeera — 2 tsp

Saunf – 2tsp

Cinnamon (1/2 inch Long) — 1no

Black cardamom — 1 no

Salt — 1tsp

Turmeric — 1 tsp

Water — 500ml

Oil — 2 tbsp

Almonds halved – 20 no

Preparation: 

Wash and soak the channa dal and soya granules separately for 15 mins. Wash and soak the almonds. Drain the water completely out of all three. Now mix all the ingredients with channa dal, almonds, soya granules and put on medium heat. Remove scum as and when it surfaces.

Boil till the dal is cooked and the water has almost evaporated. Remove and allow cooling a bit. Now in a kitchen mixer/mincer, mince this thoroughly into a paste. Remove and allow cooling & checking for seasoning. Place a small portion of the mixture in your hand and make a round patty. Place a half of almond in the center and press gently.

Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the patties on both sides till crisp and brown.  Serve hot.

Nutritional Info: 

Calories	1219	Protein	53.511 g
Total fat	81.856 g	Saturated	7.0322 g
Monounsaturated	50.697 g	Polyunsaturated	19.531 g
Carbohydrates	-94.663 g	Fiber	38.32 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	Sodium	2371 mg
Calcium	590 mg	Magnesium	469 mg
Potassium	2438 mg	Vitamin E	34.21 mg

 

 

Citations:

Hull S, Re R, Chambers L, Echaniz A, Wickham SJ. A mid-morning snack generates satiety and appropriate adjustment of subsequent food intake in healthy women. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2014; DOI 10.1007/s00394-014-0759-z.

Cassady, B.A., J.H. Hollis, A.D. Fulford, R.V. Considine, R.D. Mattes. 2009. Mastication of almonds: effects of lipid bioaccessibility, appetite, and hormone response. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 89:794-800.

Mori AM, Considine RV, Mattes, RD. 2011. Acute and second-meal effects of almond form in impaired glucose tolerant adults: a randomized crossover trial.  Nutr Metab. 2011 Jan 28;8(1):6.

Tan YT, Mattes RD. Appetitive, dietary and health effects of almonds consumed with meals or as snacks: a randomised, controlled trial. Eur J Clin Nutr 2013; 67:1205-14

Li, S.-C., Y.-H. Liu, W.-H. Chang, C.-M. Chen, C.-Y. O. Chen, J.-F. Liu. Almond consumption improved glycemic control and lipid profiles in patients with type 2 diabetes. Metabolism 2011; 60(4): 474-9

Cohen AE, Johnston CS. Almond ingestion at mealtime reduces postprandial glycemia and chronic ingestion reduces hemoglobin A1c in individuals with well-controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metabolism 2011; 60(9): 1312-1317

Mori AM, Considine RV, Mattes, RD. 2011. Acute and second-meal effects of almond form in impaired glucose tolerant adults: a randomized crossover trial. Nutrition and Metabolism 2011 28(8): 1-6