Benefits of Dietary Fiber

Benefits of Dietary Fiber

Dietary fiber is considered a carbohydrate found in plant sources that our body is not able to digest due to a lack of enzymes. Fiber can be categorized as either soluble or insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in our body to form a soft gel, whereas insoluble fiber passes through our digestive tract relatively unaffected. Fiber, in particular, soluble fiber, has the ability to ameliorate diabetes because it traps nutrients such as carbohydrates and sugar via its gel-like structure. This results in the sugar being absorbed into the bloodstream more slowly, resulting in smaller spikes in blood sugar. Therefore, soluble fiber helps diabetics as well as healthy people prevent extreme peaks and lows in blood sugar, which is one of the main symptoms of Type II diabetes.

Fiber promotes healthy weight loss and weight maintenance. Good sources of fiber such as green leafy vegetables, whole grains, and fruits are also lower in calories and contain little to no fat. The fiber in these foods help people feel full faster, for longer periods of time and reduces cravings because they tend to take longer to chew and helps the stomach to empty slower. Moreover, some of the nutrients and calories from the meal can potentially be trapped in the gel of the soluble fiber, making it harder for the calories to be absorbed before being eliminated as waste.

Another important attribute of fiber is its benefit to our GI tract. Our GI tract includes all the structures and organs in our body that aid in digestion, breakdown and absorption of nutrition. A diet high in fiber results in better bowel movements since foods rich in fiber have more volume and fiber passes through the body unchanged. Moreover, fiber can serve as a fuel for healthy bacteria that live in our intestines. This increases the number of the healthy bacteria and boosts our digestive health.

 Here are some recipes that are high in fiber and relatively easy to prepare:

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili for Two

Makes: 2 servings, 2 cups each

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chile,
• 1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and potato and cook, stirring often, until the onion is slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle and salt and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add water, bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes and lime juice; increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir

in cilantro.

Nutrition

Per serving: 374 calories; 6 g fat ( 1 g sat , 4 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 67 g carbohydrates; 14 g protein; 15 g fiber; 699 mg sodium; 603 mg potassium.

Lemony Lentil Salad with Salmon

 

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 cup diced seedless cucumber
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 15-ounce cans lentils, rinsed, or 3 cups cooked brown or green lentils (see Tip)
• 2 7-ounce cans salmon , drained and flaked, or 1 1/2 cups flaked cooked salmon 

Preparation

1. Whisk lemon juice, dill, mustard, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Add bell pepper, cucumber, onion, lentils and salmon; toss to coat.

Nutrition

Per serving: 354 calories; 18 g fat ( 3 g sat , 12 g mono ); 31 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 24 g protein; 9 g fiber; 194 mg sodium; 743 mg potassium.

*Recipes are from Eatingwell.com

Carena Lowenthal, MS, RD, CDN

19 W. 34th St. PH Suite NY, NY 10001

(917) 882-5033

www.carenalowenthal.com

carena@carenalowenthal.com

Sports Nutrition for the Elite Athlete and the Active Person

Sports Nutrition for the Elite Athlete and the Active Person

A solid nutrition plan is extremely important for training, increasing your endurance and improving your performance. Moreover, eating the right food before, during, and after training can drastically alter your recovery time as well as help you achieve your peak performance. Even if you are not into extreme sports or competing for an endurance event, a sound nutrition plan will help you delay fatigue so you can push yourself harder. Without the proper foods, your hard efforts can be fruitless. So what exactly should you eat before, during, and after exercise to ensure that you performance at your best? 

Before any sort of intense physical activity, you should consume a carbohydrate-rich meal about 3-4 hours before the event or a carbohydrate-rich snack approximately 30-60 minutes before. This will help top off muscle stores as carbohydrates are the main source of fuel and energy for your body during exercise. You should also include a small amount of protein in your pre-exercise meal to reduce soreness as well as help repair and build muscle. I recommend that the meal be low in fat and fiber to ensure proper digestion as well as prevent any bowel discomfort during an event. Optimal choices for pre-exercise meals include 1) oatmeal with almonds, skim milk, and banana 2) lean hamburger with lettuce, tomato, and a yogurt-fruit parfait 3) Turkey and Swiss sandwich, a piece of fruit, and a sports drink 4) peanut butter and honey on toast with a sports drink. Half an hour to an hour before exercise, you should have a piece of fruit, a jam sandwich or just a sports drink or some water. 

It is advisable that if you are exercising for more than an hour at a time, you should eat while exercising to ensure that you provide sufficient glucose to your working muscles and that you do not tire easily. How much you need to eat depends on how long you are active for. If you are engaging in intense exercise for over an hour, you should try to consume 30-60 grams of carbohydrate every hour. This can be in the form of a sports drink or an easily digestible carbohydrate –rich food such as a cereal bar, a banana, or a handful of raisins. Keep in mind that it is crucial to drink water during prolonged exercise to prevent dehydration. 

Eating for recovery is just as important as eating before exercising. After a hard exercise session, you should aim to restore fluids and electrolytes (sodium and potassium) lost through sweat. Moreover, you need to replace the carbohydrate that your body utilized as muscle fuel during practice in addition to feeding your body protein to aid in repair of damaged muscles. You can begin nutrition recovery with a snack or meal within 15-60 minutes following exercise or competition. Good options include 1) whole wheat pita sandwich with turkey and veggies, pretzels, and low-fat milk 2) brown rice bowl with beans, cheese, salsa, avocado, and whole grain tortilla 3) stir fry with lean steak, vegetables and brown rice. As for recovery snacks, choices such as a berry smoothie made with yogurt, a sports drink with a sports bar, and graham crackers with peanut butter and low-fat milk will all allow your body to recover properly. 

Here are some meal ideas for pre-exercise and for recovery: 

Pre-Exercise Wrap 

Minutes to Prepare: 5

Number of Servings: 1

Ingredients

• 1 whole wheat tortilla
• 1 tbsp of natural peanut butter
• 1 tbsp of sugar free jelly (whichever flavor you prefer)
• 2 strawberries (de-stemmed and sliced up)
• 1/4 banana, sliced length-wise
• 2 tbsp. of low fat granola 

Directions

Chop up the ingredients and roll them up in the tortilla. Eat and enjoy.

Nutritional Information 

• Number of Servings: 1
• Calories: 314.8 
• Total Fat: 12.1 g 
• Cholesterol: 0.0 mg 
• Sodium: 508.2 mg 
• Total Carbs: 50.0 g 
• Dietary Fiber: 6.7 g 
• Protein: 9.5 g 

Recovery Meal Idea: 

Maple Grilled Salmon 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar 
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup 
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice 
• 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skinned 
• Cooking spray 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. 1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add fish. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 3 hours.
2. 2. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
3. 3. Remove fish from bag, reserving the marinade. Pour marinade into a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons (about 5 minutes).
4. 4. Place fish on grill rack or pan coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness, basting occasionally with marinade. Remove fish from grill; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving 

• Calories: 270 
• Calories from fat: 35% 
• Fat: 10.6g 
• Saturated fat: 2.5g 
• Monounsaturated fat: 4.6g 
• Polyunsaturated fat: 2.5g 
• Protein: 31.1g 
• Carbohydrate: 11g 
• Fiber: 0.1g 
• Cholesterol: 80mg 
• Iron: 0.7mg 
• Sodium: 216mg 
• Calcium: 27mg 

*From myrecipes.com 

Carena Lowenthal, MS, RD, CDN

19 W. 34th St. PH Suite

NY, NY 10001

(917) 882-5033

www.carenalowenthal.com

carena@carenalowenthal.com

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