Roughage (aka fiber) is essential for so many different physiological processes including stabilizing blood sugar and cholesterol, supporting your microbiome & estrobolome, helping with satiety, and supporting weight loss. Click the links below to learn more about the importance of fiber:

The Wonders of FIBER- Why Fiber is Your Friend

High Fiber Foods Reduce Cancer Risk

How much fiber is enough? Ideally, we want to be eating foods with more than 3-5 grams of fiber per serving and around 30-50g of total fiber in daily. The best way to get in fiber without having to think about it is through plants! If you can manage getting greens & veggies in ALL meals and any snack you may be having then you can rest assured you are getting in enough fiber for the day!

1. Make a green smoothie! Add 2 handfuls of your favorite green to every smoothie. Spinach or kale are my favorites, but you can also do Swiss chard, beet greens or sprouts! Broccoli sprouts are rich in sulforaphanes which help with supporting liver detoxification and balancing hormones.
2. Snack on Kale Chips. These are so easy to make and give a salty crunch. Massage kale into 1 Tbsp of olive oil, add salt. Roast in the oven for 350F until crisp.
   1. Here is an alternative to try – Delicata Squash Chips or Parsnip Fries with Rosemary
3. Make lettuce wraps! The best greens for this, besides romaine or iceberg, are butter lettuce, collard greens, Swiss chard leaves, cabbage leaves, or jicama wraps (available at Trader Joe’s). You can add taco meat, chicken salad, or check out these lettuce wrap recipes. This is also an easy one to remember when going out to eat, especially if you are on the go. If you have to eat at a fast-food restaurant and there isn’t a salad option, order a sandwich but ditch the bun, and ask for extra lettuce & veggies (cucumber, onion, pickles, tomatoes, etc).
4. Leave the peel or skin on your fruits & veggies when possible. Think kiwis, apples, carrots, cucumbers, and sweet potatoes. Not only does this decrease prep time in the kitchen but it also increases fiber and micronutrients! Did you know when you remove the peel you remove half of the fiber?
5. Pair raw veggies with hummus, bean dip or raw nut butter. Celery boats filled with almond butter is a simple, yet delicious snack! For even more fiber, consider adding nuts or seeds to the celery boats for a topping. These can be made ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
6. Eat a daily salad – when in doubt, buy a premade salad kit at the store, and add more veggies to it. Most grocery stores will carry these premade salad kits and can help make this a lifestyle for you by keeping things simple. Or when you have time, batch prep a salad to eat for the week. Try one of our recipes below:
   • The Simplest Greek Salad Recipe
   • Roasted Butternut Squash, Apple, and Pomegranate Salad
   • Kale Salad with Green Tahini Dressing
   • Check out our recent Super Salads workshop, Dr. Axtell hosted, where she redefined the salad!
7. Make 2 sides of veggies for dinner. Instead of the typical starch (white potatoes) at dinner, experiment with more cruciferous vegetables (rich in DIM which helps with hormone balancing) such as Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Green Goddess Dressing or try a different starch with more nutrients such as squash – our Roasted Delicata Squash with Walnut and Feta Crumble recipe is so good!
8. Make a sweet treat with veggies in it:
   • Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
   • Pumpkin Spice Smoothie
   • Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins
   • Black Bean Brownies

The easiest way to make a change, such as increasing greens and fiber, is to make it a daily habit. I like to make new habits into a phrase or a mantra to help me stay motivated & remember my goals- such as “eat a salad once a day.” Find one thing on this list to start daily or come up with your own variation that is going to work for you. Share your creations or your favorite Lakeside Recipe with us on social media. We would love to see what you are making in the kitchen!

Editor’s Note: The information in this article is intended for your educational use only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health practitioners with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, supplement, fitness, or other health program.