Fiber, a type of carbohydrate found mostly in plant-based foods, is a key nutrient for regulating and supporting many of the body’s important processes. Fiber not only supports digestive health and bowel regularity, but also helps to maintain heart health by regulating blood sugar and cholesterol levels and helping you reach a healthy weight.

Interventional cardiologist Courtney Krathen, DO, emphasizes that eating healthy is vital in boosting your heart health. “It is important to have 3 meals a day – breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can also incorporate a healthy snack into the mix. Including a lot of fresh vegetables and lean meats into your diet and limiting your alcohol intake can improve your physical health.”

The Institute of Medicine recommends a minimum of 25 grams of fiber per day for women and 30-38 grams per day for men – yet the average American consumes just 15 grams of fiber daily.

Here are 6 super-simple ways to eat more fiber every day:

1. Add vegetables to your favorite dishes. For example, sauté onions, mushrooms and peppers and add them to pasta sauce or throw spinach and tomatoes into your eggs in the morning. This can add up to 5 grams of fiber to your meal in one easy step.
2. Incorporate fruit into breakfast or snack foods. For example, add fresh strawberries to plain yogurt or toss blueberries into your pancake mix.
3. Eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juice.
4. Choose whole-grain versions of bread, rice and pasta products.
5. Snack on raw veggies instead of chips or pretzels.
6. Substitute beans for meat in your meals 1-2 times per week. Beans are not only packed with fiber, but they also are a good source of protein.

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