Fiber is essential in your daily diet. There are many sources of fiber, including not only fruits and vegetables, but also various types of grains and of course potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Some tips for increasing fiber intake:
#Eat whole fruits (include the skin) instead of drinking fruit juices.
#Replace white rice, bread, and pasta with brown rice, brown rice contains not only high fiber but also vitamins and minerals.
#Choose whole-grain cereals for breakfast.
#Snack on raw vegetables, sweet potatoes instead of chips, crackers, or chocolate bars.
Fiber can be divided into two main groups:soluble fiber and insoluble fiber.
Soluble fiber has been shown to help lower blood cholesterol and maintain blood sugar levels. Oats have the highest proportion of soluble fiber of any grain. Oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, citrus fruits, and strawberries are labeled as high fiber food- soluble fiber.
Insoluble fiber doesn’t seem to help lower blood cholesterol. However, it’s an important aid in normal bowel function. Foods high in insoluble fiber include sweet potatoes,whole-wheat breads, wheat cereals, wheat bran, psylium husk, rice, barley, most other grains, cabbage, beets, carrots, turnips and cauliflower are labeled as high fiber food. The high content of fiber in this category of food is insoluble fiber.