Get 50 Percent More Fiber by Eating This One Thing Every Day

While many of us struggle to decide whether we shouldcompletely cut carbsoreat according to the clock, one thing that's nearly guaranteed regardless of the diet plan we follow: We're not getting enough fiber (not even close).

About 5 percent of Americans meet recommended daily amount (RDA) of fiber — 25 to 38 grams — with most of us filling up on about 16 grams per day, according to 2017 research in theAmerican Journal of Lifestyle Medicine.

"We're in a fiber deficit in this country," saysTanya Zuckerbrot RD, an NYC-based dietitian and founder of the high-fiberF-Factor Diet. "Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes but many people fall short of the recommended vegetable and whole-grain intake," Zuckerbrot says.

"People who want to lose weight often cut carbs from their diet and then miss out on the fiber from whole grains. Others who do eat carbs often rely mainly onrefined carbsfor sustenance, in which most of the fiber is stripped out."

Read more:For Flatter Abs, Start Your Day With These Keto-Friendly and Filling, Low-Net-Carb Breakfasts

There are plenty offoods that offer good amounts of fiber, but one of the very best is wheat bran. That's because it packs in a significant amount of fiber for very few calories: A quarter-cup of wheat bran offers6.2 grams of fiber— that's about 24 percent of your RDA — for a mere 30 calories.

And the ultimate high-fiber food, according to Zuckerbrot, is wheat-bran crackers. Just two crackers can fill those fiber gaps, providing 8 grams — and adding 8 grams of fiber to your day means you'll be getting 50 percent more than the typical American eats daily.

"The go-to crackers I recommend and eat myself are GG Bran Crackers. They are all-natural,low-carband among the highest-fiber crackers on the market. You can have four crackers for the same amount of calories as a slice of white bread, but with 16 times more fiber," she says.

But your wheat-bran options go beyond crackers. In addition to GG, get half of your fiber fix at a single meal or snack with these hearty foods.

Get 50 percent more fiber with:2 crackers

With 40 calories and 8 grams of fiber, two of these crispbreads also supply 8 percent of your daily iron needs. Savor them stacked high with one of Zuckerbrot's favorite topping combos:

• Pizza:Low-fat cottage cheese or mozzarella cheese + tomato sauce + a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, microwaved until melty
• New York-style bagel:Low-fat cream cheese (aka Neufchâtel) + smoked salmon + onion + tomato
• Huevos rancheros:Scrambled eggs or egg whites + salsa + shredded Mexican cheese
• PB&J:Almond or peanut butter + smashed fresh raspberries or strawberries
• Deli sandwich:Turkey or roast beef + Dijon mustard + lettuce and tomato

Buy it:Amazon.com;Price:$16.89 for five 3.5-ounce packages

Get 50 percent more fiber with:¼ cup of cereal

Try these bran buds in place of breadcrumbs in meatballs or to coatchicken tendersor eggplant Parmesan, Zuckerbrot recommends.

Buy it:Amazon.com;Price:$3.68 per 22-ounce box

Get 50 percent more fiber with:⅓ cup of cereal

Follow Zuckerbrot's lead and assemble a fiber-filled breakfast made with a half-cup of high-fiber cereal, like this one, with a carton of plainGreek yogurtand half a cup of berries.

Buy it:Amazon.com;Price:$31.88 for for six 10.6-ounce boxes

Hunger, energy levels and digestion are all directly affected by how much fiber you eat. Fiber is the zero-calorie part of plant-based food that the body's enzymes can't completely break down and, therefore, it passes through the body undigested.

"If soluble fiber is a sponge, insoluble fiber is a broom that sweeps everything out."

"Fiber helps to keep us full between meals, maintains blood sugar control for sustainable energy and promotes digestive regularity," Rachel Fine, RD and owner of the nutrition counseling firm黑的营养, tells us. A March 2008 study inThe Journal of Nutrition发现纤维结合一些脂肪和calories and "ushers them out of the body," Zuckerbrot explains.

And eating enough of it has been linked to a lower risk of breast and colon cancers, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, according to theHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

There are two types of fiber: Soluble and insoluble. "Soluble fiberslows digestion and helps to keep you feeling full. It acts like a sponge, swelling in the stomach and soaking up fat and calories," Zuckerbrot says. "If soluble fiber is a sponge, insoluble fiber is a broom that sweeps everything out. It adds bulk to stool and helps food pass more quickly through the stomach and intestines."

If you need more convincing to bulk up your fiber quota, Zuckerbrot points to all of these benefits:

• Linked to weight loss and weight maintenance:"Fiber adds bulk to foods without adding calories, so high-fiber foods are low in calories, yet keep you feeling full for hours," she says.
• Can help slow digestion and steady blood sugar levels:"This helps curb sugar cravings and sustains energy," Zuckerbrot adds.
• 满足饥饿:"Fiber-rich foods often require more chewing, which prompts the secretion of saliva in the mouth and gastric juices in the stomach that promote satiety by signaling the brain when it is full," she says.
  
• Can support healthy cholesterol levels:Soluble fiber can help lower cholesterol levels, per the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
• Tied to good gut health:Fiber is a prebiotic that plays a fundamental role in gut health. (Check out10 prebiotic ingredientsto add to your menu.)
• Can promote more restful sleep:"Eating refined carbs late in the day can cause your blood sugar level to peak and then crash while you sleep, which is why some people get up in the middle of the night," Zuckerbrot says. "Eating foods rich in fiber helps keep blood sugar levels steady, which, in turn, can promote more undisturbed rest."

Read more:10 Super Simple Ways to Sneak More Fiber Into Your Diet