How To Get Enough Fiber In Your Low Cost Balanced Diet In India?

Eating a balanced diet is important for maintaining good health, but getting all the necessary nutrients on a budget can be challenging. One key nutrient that often gets overlooked is fibre. Fibre plays a crucial role in digestion and can help prevent constipation, promote weight management, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

Here, we will explore how to get enough fibre in your low cost balanced diet in India. We will provide simple and practical tips on incorporating high-fibre foods into your daily meals without breaking the bank. 

If you want a personalised diet plan or medical care diet plan, you can connect to ToneOp. Our expert dieticians and fitness experts can help you to maintain your health. So, if you are ready to boost your fibre intake and improve your overall health, keep reading!

Table Of Content

1. Understanding Low Cost Balanced Diet

2. What Are The Types Of Dietary Fibres?

3. Which Foods Are Rich In Fibre?

4. Sample Of Low Cost Diet Plan For Men And Women 

5. What Are The Benefits Of Eating Fibre?

6. How To Increase Fibre Content In Your Diet?

7. Expert Advice

8. The Final Say

9. FAQ

10. References

Understanding Low Cost Balanced Diet

A low cost balanced diet nourishes your body with essential nutrients while minimising expenses. It involves making conscious food choices that combine carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals without incurring high costs. 

You can maintain your health and well-being without overspending by prioritising affordable yet nutritious foods.

What Are The Types Of Dietary Fibres?

Fibre includes non-starch polysaccharides, such as cellulose, dextrin, inulin, lignin, chitins, pectin, beta-glucans, waxes, and oligosaccharides. It is of two types:

1. Insoluble Dietary Fibre

Fibre that does not dissolve in water is called insoluble fibre. It goes through the intestines without breaking down and does not benefit the body with calories.

Good sources of insoluble fibre include:

• Fruits

• Vegetables

• Whole Grain Foods

• Nuts

2. Soluble Dietary Fibre

These dietary fibres are soluble in water and turn into a substance that looks like gel in your stomach. After that, bacteria break down the gel in your large intestine and benefit you with calories. 

They help in lowering the levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood. They also regulate blood sugar levels.

Good sources of soluble fibre include:

• Oats

• Beans

• Vegetables

• Fruits

• Nuts

Which Foods Are Rich In Fibre?

Foods that are rich in fibre include the following:

1. Sweet Potato

Sweet potato is a mixture of soluble and insoluble fibre, rich in vitamin A and boosts a healthy heart.

2. Guava

Guava is considered one of the high-fibre foods in India. It is a low cost fruit and rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants.

3. Chickpeas

Chickpeas contain soluble and insoluble fibre, which controls the blood sugar level and boosts muscle building due to good protein content.

4. Green Peas

Green peas are also rich in fibre, which is affordable for every group of people in India, keeps the gut full and provides satiety for a longer period.

5. Coconut

Coconut is rich in high insoluble fibre and healthy fats, improving digestion and constipation.

6. Dates

100gm of dates have almost 6.7gm of fibre and are rich in other nutrients like magnesium, copper, and potassium, which control cravings.

7. Carrot

Carrot is also rich in both insoluble and soluble fibre rich in beta carotene, which is great for eye health and controlling diabetes and keeps the gut full.

Sample Of Low Cost Diet Plan For Men And Women 

 A low cost balanced diet plan that you can use includes:

Day 1

Day 2

What Are The Benefits Of Eating Fibre?

Over the past several years, studies have examined dietary fibre’s effect on heart health, including preventing cardiovascular disease and reducing blood pressure.

Eating adequate fibre can prevent or ease constipation while promoting healthy gut microbiota.

The positive impact of dietary fibre include

• Colorectal ulcer

• Hiatal hernias

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease

• Diverticular disease

1. Haemorrhoids

Eating a high-fibrous diet can lower the chances of getting haemorrhoids (swollen veins in the rectum and anus) and diverticular disease in the colon. 

2. Weight Management

A high-fibre diet can stimulate weight loss. High-fibre foods help people feel fuller for longer and may help people adhere to a diet.

3. Lower Down Diabetes Risk

Dietary fibres are helpful for diabetes patients as well. They slow down the sugar absorption process.

4. Lowers Cholesterol Levels

Dietary fibres are excellent options to lower your cholesterol levels. You can eat oats, bran, flaxseed, and beans to reduce your LDL level. 

5. Aids In Achieving A Healthy Weight

To stay satiated and eat a less high-fibre diet helps a lot as a high-fibre diet takes time to digest, which controls your hunger pangs, and they are less dense in energy, which indicates less content of calories but more quantity of food.

6. Helps You Live Longer

There are fewer chances of cancer or heart issues If you increase your fibre intake, which includes cereal fibre.

7. Acts As A Natural Detox

Unhealthy fats, oestrogen, and other harmful compounds are soaked up by the body's fibre, reducing the chances of any hazardous ailment. Fibre keeps the foods moving in the body and restricts mercury absorption, BPA and other pesticides in the bloodstream. 

8. Build Strong Bones

Some fibres help to build strong bones and maintain bone density. This includes foods like oats, soybeans, wheat and asparagus.

How To Increase Fibre Content In Your Diet

You can increase your fibre intake by following the tips and tricks:

1. Breakfast Is A Must

Choose a breakfast cereal with at least 5 grams of fibre. Have more whole cereals or bran-like oats in your diet to increase the fibre intake, keeping your unnecessary hunger pangs in control.

2. Increase Baked Food

When baking, you can use whole-grain flour as a substitute for half or all of the white flour. This can be a healthier option. Add crushed bran cereal, unprocessed wheat bran, or uncooked oatmeal to muffins, cakes, and cookies.

3. Whole Grain In Holy Grail

Consume at least half of all grains as whole grains. Look at food labels while purchasing bread or other food stuffs to check the fibre content, like brown rice, whole wheat, etc.

4. Pulse And Legume Intake

To increase your fibre intake, beans, peas, and lentils are great options. Add kidney beans to your soup or green salad, or make nachos with refried black beans and plenty of fresh vegetables.

5. Eat As A Snack

Healthy snacks like nuts, dried fruits, and whole grain crackers can improve your health.

6. More Fruit And Vegetables

Eating fruits and vegetables provides important nutrients such as fibre, vitamins, and minerals. It is suggested that you eat at least 3-4 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

Expert Advice

Eating fibre is good for your gut health. For a low-cost and healthy breakfast, you can make a smoothie bowl with milk, oats, a little honey, and your choice of fruits. 

Or, if you want an even more affordable option, you can just eat fruits. Additionally, add sabja seeds to your diet. 

They are easy to find in the market and can be added to milk or warm water. Consuming 1-2 teaspoons of sabja seeds daily can help increase your fibre intake.

-Dt. Akshata Gandevikar

The Final Say

Incorporating enough fibre into a low cost balanced diet is essential for maintaining good health and overall well-being. By understanding the different types of dietary fibres and knowing which foods are rich in fibre, you can easily incorporate them into your daily meals without breaking the bank. 

A sample low cost balanced diet chart that is high in fibre can serve as a helpful guide to kick-start your journey towards a healthier lifestyle. The benefits of eating fibre include improved digestion, reduced risk of chronic diseases, and increased satiety. 

If you are looking for personalised advice on increasing the fibre content in your diet, do not hesitate to consult the expert dietitians at ToneOp.

FAQs

1. What are the 4 most important benefits of having fibre in the diet?

The 4 important benefits of fibre are:

• Easy digestion,

• Less constipation,

• Smooth bowels

• A feeling of satiety.

  
  

2. Is fibre important for health?

Yes, fibre helps to remove waste from the body, which keeps the body healthy.

3. Does fibre get stuck in the body after consumption?

No fibre stays in the body for some time to collect all the toxins and waste and comes out as an excretory product.

References

https://www.nap.edu/read/10490/chapter/9#413 

https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov 

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