High Fibre Snacks
High fibre snacks are a great way to curb hunger and keep you full. These foods are also packed with vitamins and minerals, which help boost your health and energy levels. With so many options to choose from, it can be hard to know which ones are best for you. To help you out, we’ve rounded up some of the best high fibre snacks that you can eat on the go or at home.
But first things first, let’s get to know a bit more about this clever carbohydrate and why it’s good for us…
What is fibre?
Fibre is a type of carbohydrate found in food. It comes in two forms: soluble fibre and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre dissolves in water to form a gel-like substance, which can help slow the absorption of fat and sugar into your bloodstream. Insoluble fibre does not dissolve in water, so it passes through the digestive system relatively unchanged. This means that it doesn’t have as many health benefits as soluble fibre, but does make us feel fuller for longer.
Why is fibre good for you?
Fibre is an essential part of a healthy diet. Foods that are high in fibre tend to be low in saturated fat and cholesterol to form part of a balanced diet. You can also find foods that are high in fibre and low in calories, or high in fibre and protein depending on your dietary requirements. But the health benefits of fibre don’t stop there! Fibre can also…
- Help lower cholesterol – Soluble fibre binds with bile acids to remove them from the body before they can be absorbed by the liver, which helps to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
- Promote healthy gut bacteria – Fibre can also promote gut health which is a key health trend at the moment. This can help with constipation, as well as improving your overall digestive health.
- Control your appetite – Insoluble fibre can leave you feeling fuller for longer which can help prevent unhealthy snacking habits and overeating to aid weight loss.
- Control sugar levels – Fibre can help improve blood sugar control in people with diabetes because it slows down absorption of sugar into the bloodstream after meals.
Therefore, it’s important to incorporate fibre into our diet. The NHS recommends 30g of fibre in our diet a day, however most adults only manage 20g. Here are some delicious vegan sources of fibre you can add to your diet to help reach the recommended daily amount.
Snacks high in fibre to add to your diet:
1.TREK protein bars – TREK Protein Energy bars are a great source of fibre, as well as the perfect pre-workout snack. Also, our TREK Protein Flapjacks are rich in fibre and will leave you feeling fuller for longer making for the perfect on-the- go breakfast bar.
Buy a TREK bar now to try for yourself!
2. Whole-grain crackers with bean dip – Whole-grain foods are one of the best ways to get fibre in your diet, as well as beans. This tasty little hand held snack combines two sources of fibre in one.
3. Garlic roasted chickpeas – On average chickpeas contain 17g of fibre per 100g. You can have this delicious, fibrous snack on the go by roasting it with olive oil and garlic for a flavour sensation.
4. Rice and beans – Kill two birds with one stone by having two fibre rich ingredients in one dish. Try brown rice and black beans in a stew for a hearty dish, or even in a Mexican style burrito bowl.
5. Fruits with edible skins – We’re talking your peaches, plums and apples. The type of fruits where you can eat the vitamin rich skin or peel as well as the juicy fruit inside. These can easily be grabbed on your way to work and added to your daily diet.
6. Baked sweet potato – What better lunch than a perfectly soft sweet potato topped with your favourite toppings. We recommend finishing with a black bean style chilli and a dollop of guacamole to add even more nutritious ingredients to the plate.
7. Popcorn – Believe it or not popcorn is actually a good source of fibre, containing 13g of dietary fibre per 100g. This is a great low calorie snack to take to work, or to enjoy at home with a good film.
8. Avocado on toast – This green super-food has a lot of health benefits including being high in protein, but it is also a natural source of fibre. Spread on whole wheat toast with some chilli flakes and a squeeze of lemon juice for a great breakfast, lunch or afternoon snack.
9. Kale Chips – Kale is an excellent source of fibre and vitamins, so it’s no surprise that it’s one of the best high-fibre snacks you can eat. You can make your own kale chips by baking them, but if you’re short on time, store-bought kale chips are a great alternative.
10. Bananas and peanut butter on toast – Bananas are rich in fibre and pair perfectly with peanut butter for a delicious American style snack. This can be a great breakfast to power you for the day ahead.
There we have it! 10 vegan friendly, fibre rich foods that anyone can easily add to their diet. Whether you are grabbing a quick snack, or meal planning, it’s important to incorporate some fibre so that you can reap some of its incredible health benefits. Just be sure to enjoy everything in moderation and stick to that recommended daily amount of 30g!
To kick-start adding fibre to your diet pick up one of our TREK bars today, which are not only rich in fibre, but high in protein and vegan friendly.
For even more nutrition based blogs read our other articles on Diet For Strength Training, High Protein Snacks and Why Breakfast is Important.
