1. Getting Fiber on a low Carb Diet
The Atkins diet is a low carb, high protein diet. While on a low carbohydrate diet, your diet may be lacking in adequate amounts of fiber if you don't eat the recommended vegetables with high fiber content. In addition to adding bulk to your system, fiber helps you feel full after eating and the feeling stays with you longer. Because of the feeling of fullness, you eat less. During the initial Induction Phase of the Atkins Diet, carbohydrates are very limited. As the diet phases progress, more fiber is added to the diet with high fiber fruits and vegetables. During the initial phase of the Atkins diet, drink plenty of water to aid in digestion and elimination. If necessary, take a fiber supplement to help your body eliminate waste, but make sure you get lots of water with it.
2. Roughage Does a Body Good
Fiber is also known as roughage. Fiber helps your body eliminate waste and keeps you regular. Fiber also helps reduce the levels of cholesterol by pulling out the excess fat before it's stored. The type of fiber that helps you digest and eliminate food is called insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber can be found in food that has husks or the outer grain, like popcorn. Soluble fiber helps reduce cholesterol and is found in foods like oatmeal. Insoluble means it doesn't dissolve and is therefore digested and eliminated basically the same way it went in. Whether you get your roughage from soluble, insoluble or fiber supplements, it's important to drink adequate amounts of water. Fiber can cause constipation if there isn't enough water in your system. Fiber also reduces the total amount of carbohydrate content in foods. For example, if a food contains 40 grams of carbs per serving and 10 grams of fiber per serving, subtract the 10 grams of fiber from the 40 grams of carbohydrates. The total of 30 grams of carbohydrates is called net carbs. Most prepared foods list the net carbs on the nutritional information, but if it's not listed simply subtract the amount of fiber from the carbs to get net carbs.
3. Fiber: More Than Sticks and Twigs
Many people turn up their nose when they hear the word "fiber." We have been conditioned to think of fiber as if it were hay or sticks and twigs. Fiber can be found in all plant foods. After the initial Induction Phase of the Atkins diet, beans, dried peas and legumes can be slowly added back into your diet. High fiber vegetables are encouraged in all phases on the Atkins diet.
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