DON'T FORGET YOUR FIBER.

While dietary fiber is an essential part of a healthy diet for people of all ages, it can significantly help as we all age and have challenges with our weight, blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, and good digestion.  Just remember it simply allows you slow digestion, therefore, absorbing more nutrients and does help with hunger control.

Here are a few tips to help you get a little fiber naturally without taking supplements.

Munch more on Veggies
Make baby carrots and broccoli florets dipped into low-fat ranch dressing your afternoon snack three days a week. You’ll fill up the empty afternoon space in your stomach while getting about 5 grams of fibre in each cup of veggies.

Cheat With Cauliflower
Add pureed cauliflower to mashed potatoes. You won’t taste a difference, but you will get some extra fiber.

Start With Salad
Start every dinner with a mixed green salad. Not only will it add fiber, but with a low-calorie vinaigrette dressing, it will partially fill you up with very few calories and thus offers excellent benefits in calorie consumption.

Two Apples a Day
Not just to keep the doctor away, but because apples are a good source of pectin, a soluble fibre that contributes to a feeling of fullness and digests slowly. A 1997 study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that five grams of pectin were enough to leave people feeling satisfied for up to four hours.

Crunch on a Few Crackers
Switch to whole-grain crackers. You’d never think a tiny cracker can make a difference, but one regular whole wheat cracker has a half gram of fiber. Ten crackers give you five grams of fiber. So next time, spread your peanut butter on whole-grain crackers instead of bread for a different taste treat.

Sneak in Oatmeal
Use regular oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs for meatloaf and meatballs, sprinkle it atop casseroles and ice cream, bake it into cookies and muffins, and add it to homemade bread and cakes.

Phase-In Some Whole Wheat
Every week, switch from white food to brown food. So instead of instant white rice, you switch to instant brown rice. Instead of regular pasta, you switch to whole wheat pasta. Try whole-wheat pitas instead of traditional, whole-wheat burritos instead of corn, whole-wheat couscous instead of regular.

Have Hummus
Spread your sandwich with a half cup of hummus. Bam! You just got seven and a half grams of fiber in a tasty package. Lay some spinach leaves and a tomato slice atop for another couple of grams.