If you’ve been using any of our Metabolic Living programs in an effort to obtain an hourglass shape, shed some weight, or feel better in your body, you’ve probably already stumbled upon how incorporating fiber into your diet can help with these goals. The combination of protein and fiber at meals is one of our top tips to help with keeping your SHMEC in check! 

Part of the reason behind that recommendation relates to how fiber-rich foods help to stabilize your blood sugar, a big assist for stabilizing hunger between meals. If your focus is on keeping cravings in check when avoiding certain foods, fiber is also helpful in raising your satisfaction level. 

In my many years of working as an RD and health coach, I’m not sure I’ve ever used the word “fun” and “fiber” in the same sentence. You may also be wondering why I’ve chosen to use these words in combination with each other. I’m here to share how eating a high-fiber diet doesn’t have to be boring and mundane. You don’t have to constantly think about ways to make cauliflower exciting or kale more enticing if you truly don’t like the taste of those foods. 

Arguably, most individuals don’t eat nearly enough vegetables; hence, they struggle to meet their recommended needs for fiber. For this very reason, I’m here to share that there is a place for adding some convenience foods to add more bulk in this way. To change things up from our weekly educational posts, I wanted to share a few new fun fibrous finds with you. These finds may spark some of your own creativity, too. 

Coincidentally, all of these foods are considered to be “plant based” so you can feel good about adding these items in from time to time. As an aside, I definitely don’t incorporate these foods into my diet on the daily, partly because I try to eat more real, whole foods, and I’d encourage the same for you. I also understand these items can be pricey and budgets may be tight right now. As an added disclaimer, none of the links attached are affiliate links or provide any sort of kickback to the company or to me personally. 

So let’s get to a few of the fun fibrous finds I’ve been incorporating as buffer foods more recently:

1. Immi Ramen: I’ve never been a huge ramen fan, even when I’ve carefully watched my grocery budget, but I do have a daughter who enjoys a variety of the organic ramen products on the market. Watching others enjoy a meal that you’ve never really found appealing can be enticing in the way of expanding food variety. I have also noticed some other influencers promoting this particular product, so I decided to give it a try. I was able to find this at Whole Foods, and while it is relatively expensive without it being on sale, I chose to stretch a one serving package into more like 2 or 3 servings. 

As described by the company, the formulators had a single goal in mind when creating this product: “capture the same oh so satisfying ramen feeling with a makeover of better ingredients and crafted flavors for a more nutritious, and equally delicious bowl.” If you are watching your sodium intake, I suggest using less of the flavoring packet to give you even more control of the ingredients. If you are going to cut the serving into 2 or 3 bowls instead of one, I suggest adding some additional protein and veggies as well. 

I’ve not tried the shrimp flavor since I’m not a fan of seafood, but I’ve definitely added some chopped chicken and some lean ground beef to the other flavors to make it a more voluminous meal. If you do decide to have a full serving, you’ll get in a whopping 18 grams of fiber. Even dividing the portion into thirds, you can get 6 grams of fiber right there.

2. Creamy Keto Hot Cereal: Although keto is listed in the description of this product, I personally don’t follow a keto diet; however, I do try to watch my starches. I also originally purchased this product because I liked the simple list of ingredients and thought it could be useful for recipes, not just as a hot cereal. In fact, I’ve never made this as a hot cereal at all, but rather have used it for cooking and baking. If you are looking for a Panko replacement for example, this works quite well! 

As described by the company, this product is the “perfect alternative to traditional grain-based breakfast foods like oatmeal and grits” and the ingredient list is really simple (so simple that I could buy all of these things separately and make up my own cereal, but I like the convenience of having it all in one package). Each serving of the cereal has 6 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber, and it is super versatile. 

I’ve only purchased the plain flavor, but they also have a cinnamon and blueberry flavor. With the plain option, you can flavor it with your favorite herbs, spices, or other condiments to make it sweet or savory. Just as I decided to use this as a way to coat chicken in place of Panko, I’d encourage you to get creative and come up with some of our own ways to incorporate this “cereal” too.

3. Hodo All-Day Egg Scramble: I already know all of the soy haters out there are rolling their eyes back in their heads, but hear me out. I don’t encourage eating soy in large quantities, but I also don’t demonize soy as a whole. Remember our whole motto is to find what works for you when it comes to nutrition. 

If you are concerned with estrogen dominance or you have a history of breast cancer, I do recommend avoidance; however, research related to other aspects of health shows soy can be incorporated as a functional food with added health benefits. Just a quick google search can lead you to some research articles so you can read up on soy and make a decision for yourself. When I add soy to my diet, I do so in moderation, maybe 1-2 total servings weekly – if at all.

As described by the company, this “all-day egg scramble” product is a plant-based food that is “fluffy, full of flavor, and fun.” They also boast that there are no added fillers or “weird unprounce-able ingredients”. I’ve never eaten the product on its own since I like egg whites quite a bit. I also have nothing against a whole egg, I just prefer the whites in larger volume for more protein. For that reason, I’ve mixed this product into egg whites for a bit of a different texture and taste since it does have some added spices. At 4 grams of fiber per serving, I find it an easy way to give plain egg whites a flavorful, satisfying boost.

Remember I encourage using these as buffer foods if they help with keeping your SHMEC in check and allow you to see results!  Use your detective skills and notice how you feel within 1-2 hours of eating these finds. Notice if your cravings change, if your hunger feels more stable or predictable, or if your energy stays high within a couple of hours of eating when it would otherwise be low.

Now that I’ve shared a few fun fibrous finds with you, let me know if you plan to give any of these a try! I’d love to know if you have other fun fibrous foods that you incorporate regularly. Or if you are into getting creative in the kitchen, let us know how you plan to use some of these products with meals or snacks that you already make or have been curious to try. 

Photo by Jannis Brandt on Unsplash