These Two Cultural Foods Can Help You Reach Your Fiber Goals With Ease
Written by Isabel Vasquez Larson RD, LDN
Fiber-maxxing is having a moment, and for once, it’s a nutrition trend with some merit. Most Americans fall short when it comes to fiber intake, per the USDA, which can have negative consequences on heart, metabolic, and gut health.
As you consider upping your fiber intake, you may think, “I know I should eat more fiber, but it feels so hard!” or “Health is important to me, but I don’t want to overhaul my whole diet”.
Rest assured, you can make meaningful changes to your fiber consumption with just a few simple additions! In fact, many of our Latine clients don’t realize that they can lean on cultural foods they already love to meet their fiber needs.
Two cultural foods, in particular, can help you make a big dent in your fiber goal—beans and avocado. They fit naturally in many cultural dishes, and you’ll get plenty of fiber in a relatively small serving.
In this article, learn more about the benefits of avocado and beans, plus other tips to increase your fiber intake with your cultural foods. Let’s dive in!
Why Fiber Matters
When you think of fiber, you probably think of gut health. It’s true—fiber helps with digestion and constipation prevention—but it does way more than that!
Fiber also helps you feel satisfied longer, promotes steady blood sugars, and lowers cholesterol, per the CDC.
Adults need about 25–38 grams of fiber per day. Unfortunately, on average, Americans only eat about 14 grams per day, per the American Heart Association. (Fun fact: On average, Latines eat way more fiber than other racial or ethnic groups, per the USDA!)
We get fiber from plant foods like fruits, veggies, beans, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
Any increase in fiber counts! In fact, it’s best to up your fiber intake slowly. Increasing your fiber intake too quickly can lead to gas, bloating, and abdominal cramps, per MedlinePlus.
How Avocados and Beans Can Help You Meet Your Fiber Goals
They Pack A Lot Of Fiber In A Single Serving
Avocados and beans pack a lot of fiber—around ⅓ of your daily fiber needs per serving! Although you may overlook them when you think of fruits and veggies, they’re some of the highest in fiber.
A single avocado has about 9 grams of fiber, or 32% of the daily value (DV), per the USDA.
Meanwhile, a ½-cup serving of black beans has about 8 grams of fiber, or 29% of the DV, per the USDA. Pinto beans’ fiber content is similar, per the USDA.
Adding a serving of beans or avocado to your day can go a long way when it comes to gut health, blood sugar regulation, and heart health!
If you’re a little gassy after eating beans, fear not. It’s usually just gas created from your gut bacteria fermenting all that beneficial fiber. That said, if it’s painful or very bothersome, consider talking with a doctor or registered dietitian for support.
They Have Other Essential Nutrients
Avocado isn’t only high in fiber, it’s also an excellent source of heart-healthy fats and plant compounds. In turn, research from the American Heart Association shows that eating avocado regularly is linked with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
Meanwhile, beans are a good source of plant protein, iron, and plant compounds. They also provide complex carbohydrates. Because of this rich nutrition profile, beans benefit cardiovascular, metabolic, and gut health, per a 2021 study in Nutrients.
Having avocado and beans together means you’re getting fiber, heart-healthy fats, carbs, protein, and micronutrients—a winning combo for health. Combining these nutrients also helps you feel full and satisfied to prevent constant hunger without restriction.
They’re Culturally Versatile
Lots of our Latine clients think they have to add green beans or kale to their meals for fiber. We love teaching them that foods like avocado and beans are culturally relevant ways to achieve this same goal! These are foods they usually know and love anyway.
That’s right—you don’t have to force a side of broccoli onto your plate of tacos to meet your fiber goals. Simply top them with sliced avocado or beans and you’ve significantly increased the fiber content of your beloved cultural dish.
Avocado and beans go well with so many of our Latine cultural dishes so adding them still leads to a delicious and cohesive meal that’s true to your roots.
They’re Convenient
With our fast-paced lifestyles, convenience is key for most of our clients. This is yet another pro of avocado and beans.
Avocado is easy to add to meals and snacks without any cooking or planning ahead. Fresh avocados are undoubtedly delicious, but we know how finicky they are when it comes to ripeness.
To boost your avocado intake, keep frozen avocado on hand for guacamole or smoothies, or buy avocado snack packs that stay fresh longer.
Keep canned beans in your pantry to conveniently add to nachos, tacos, quesadillas, arroz, and eggs. If you’re concerned about the sodium, buy low-sodium ones and/or rinse them before eating. Dried beans can be prepped in a slow cooker or pressure cooker for convenience.
Other Simple Ways to Eat More Fiber
Besides adding more avocado and beans to your diet, here are some other ways to increase your fiber intake with your cultural foods:
Prioritize corn tortillas. Corn tortillas are a whole grain, so they add some fiber to your diet. Enjoy these for more whole grains instead of feeling pressured to have low-carb or whole wheat tortillas.
Sip batidas or licuados. Batidas or licuados are a fun way to eat more fruit—a great source of fiber. Whether you use papaya, mango, guanabana, or sapote, these tasty shakes add more fiber to your day.
Embrace root veggies. Root veggies like yuca, yautia, batata, and ñame are often underrated, but they are another way to boost your fiber intake.
Lean into your body’s cues. As you increase your fiber intake, lean into your body’s cues to see how the change is affecting you. Do you feel more satisfied? Is your digestion any different? This is helpful info to note for yourself and for your healthcare providers.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to abandon your culture to care for your body. Trust that your traditional foods have plenty of nutritional value to offer.
Avocado and beans are two said foods that can help you significantly increase your fiber intake. Because of their fiber—plus healthy fats, plant protein, complex carbs, and micronutrients—they can support your gut, heart, and metabolic health.
Add them to your fave cultural dishes—tacos, quesadillas, tostadas, or mangú—to make a meaningful dent in your fiber goal without sacrificing the integrity of these traditional meals!
For education on how to ADD nutrition to your favorite Latine cultural dishes, make peace with food, and focus on your health without dieting, join our nutrition library for just $27/month.
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