Fiber is a crucial part of a balanced diet, and fruit is a great place to get it. This important nutrient can help regulate your blood sugar levels, improve digestion, and even aid weight loss. Fiber should always be a priority in your meals, but it can become especially important as you age, as it can help to reduce the risk of age-related diseases such as heart disease, cancers, and more. That’s why adding healthy fruits to your diet to increase your daily fiber intake is such a great idea for people over 40. But what are some of the best options out there in terms of fiber content? We checked in with health experts to find out.
To discover a few of the best high-fiber fruits that can aid digestion and help you maintain a healthy body over 40, we spoke to nutritionist Romane Geurot from Foodvisor and dietitian Trista Best. They told us that apples, bananas, and berries are among the best choices. Read on to learn more about the benefits of each of these tasty, powerful fruits.
1. Apples
You know what they say about an apple a day! While we can't promise that eating one of these crunchy fruits each morning can really keep the doctor away, what we can confirm is that apples are certainly a great source of fiber and could help you maintain optimal digestive health.
"Apples have lots of fiber and natural sugars that feed the good bacteria in your belly," Geurot tells us. "This helps your digestion and keeps your appetite in check." Luckily, apples are super easy to work into your diet. You could simply eat one on its own, or you could use it as a topping for a number of healthy breakfasts, including fiber-rich oatmeal. Yum!
2. Bananas
Bananas are packed with fiber and numerous other benefits. In fact, they're one of Geurot's top choices for a gut-healthy fruit that can keep your body in great shape over 40 when eaten regularly. In addition to fiber, she says, they offer up a great amount of probiotics.
"Bananas are packed with probiotics that help your belly work smoothly," she notes. "They also have a special kind of fiber called resistant starch that keeps you full so you don't tend to overeat." For this reason, bananas can even help you lose weight by curbing those pesky cravings. You can eat 'em for breakfast, as a snack, or use them as an ingredient in a healthy smoothie. The possibilities are endless!
3. Berries
When it comes to healthy fruits, it really doesn't get much better than berries. These small but mighty superfoods are loaded with incredible benefits for your health, starting with the fact that they've got lots of fiber in them.
Best points out that a single cup of berries can give you 8 grams of fiber, which means they're a great healthy snack that can help you stay satisfied throughout the day. They also contain a ton of antioxidants, like vitamin C, to keep your body protected against disease and slow aging. And all of this comes in a low-calorie, low-fat package, making them a weight loss-friendly fruit. Sign us up!
Best recommends strawberries, in particular. "Strawberries are about 50 calories per cup and pack a ton of nutrients hard to find all in one food," she says. From a nutritional standpoint, strawberries are unique in that they offer 2 grams of both soluble and insoluble fiber, ideal for gut health and weight loss." Perfect!
In addition to working perfectly as a snack, berries can also be worked into a number of other meals, including a delicious fruit parfait made with gut-healthy Greek yogurt.
The bottom line
It's important to remember that keeping your body in the best shape possible is all about practicing consistent, healthy habits. Unfortunately, there's no miracle-working fruit that can guarantee a perfect digestive system, let alone a perfect body. However, your diet is one of the most important factors when it comes to your overall health. By making nutritious, whole foods like these a regular part of your daily meals, you're taking one major step in the right direction.
