Like any betch, I’m constantly complaining, and usually, it’s about my stomach. It feels like I’m forever stuck in a cycle of either sh*tting to the death or being constipated for a year. Yeah, it’s TMI, but I can’t be the only one suffering—and I’m not. A lot of these struggles can come down to one thing: fiber. Nutritionist and dietitian Tracy Lockwood Beckerman gave us all the info on how to properly incorporate fiber in your diet on our Diet Starts Tomorrow podcast.
WTF Is Fiber?
Fiber is a plant-based nutrient that aids your digestion. It can be found in vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes (so like, none of the fun foods). Your body doesn’t store fiber, so it wants to get rid of it ASAP. Fiber also clings to cholesterol, so that’s going to come out of you too, which is like, a good thing.
Why Is It Good?
Tracy believes that all diets should have fiber in it. Other than helping you poop (sry), fiber also keeps you full. Foods with more fiber have the ability to stave off hunger for longer. For example, oats have bran, so they stay in your stomach longer and make you feel less empty *emotionally eats oatmeal*. And, no matter the amount of fiber you eat, Tracy says, “It doesn’t contribute to any weight gain.” So it’s basically magic. Another bonus: eating lots of fiber (and consequently, getting rid of said fiber via your digestive system) can prevent colorectal diseases and intestinal diseases in the future.
Don’t Abuse Fiber
Like all good things, it’s important to not OD on fiber. If you start eating too much fiber all at once, you can deplete your body of other nutrients it needs. “The body is not used to taking in as much roughage and grains that we should be.” Tracy explains, “by increasing the fiber you have to do it in a little bit more mindful and incremental way.”
Drink Water
When you’re eating more fiber, you also need to drink a ton of water. This keeps you from getting dehydrated and helps you push all that crap you ate through your system. Without enough water, the fiber can get stuck and cause a lot of bloating and pain (aka my normal state of being). So yeah, I should probably listen to my mom when she says water fixes everything, but don’t tell her I said she’s right.
How Much Fiber Should You Get?
Women should be getting 30-35 grams per day. Tracy says most Americans are only getting between 16-18 grams of fiber and apparently that’s really bad. Some examples of fibrous foods from Tracy are beans, apples, kale (obviously), berries, broccoli, whole grain bread/ pasta, etc. So you have some options in ways to get your fiber in—figure it out, betch.
Are Fiber Supplements Worth It?
Like, no. “It’s not worth it,” Tracy says. She explains, “We’re spending a lot of money on these supplements and sometimes we’re seeing benefits, sometimes we’re not, but you can get this all through food.” Basically, you’re blowing your money on tiny pills when you could just eat better. Supplements seem like a lazy move, which sounds fun until you’re broke. Haha.
Clearly, fiber is important. But there is more to learn about it and being like, a fully well rounded healthy human. I’m not a f*cking scientist so don’t @ me. Instead, check out Tracy’s Instagram and listen to our Diet Starts Tomorrow episode below.
Images: Giphy (2); Trang Doan/Pexels
Idk about you, but whenever someone mentions the word “fiber” I think of digestive issues, constipation, and Metamucil—none of which sound very Instagram-worthy to me. Although fiber is a hot topic within the health and fitness community right now, a bright orange container of Metamucil just doesn’t look quite as good as a green juice does on your Insta feed. And, if it’s not on your Insta feed, well, dare I ask, does it even exist? As a result of fiber’s far-from-sexy reputation, we don’t hear about the importance of fiber in our diet nearly as much as we should. Of course, thanks to all the fitness influencers lacking day jobs, fiber has officially become trendy due to these mysterious GG crackers and the aesthetically pleasing meals these influencers have created using them #DoItForTheGram. So because I couldn’t scroll through my feed, wondering what are GG crackers one more time, I decided to do the research.
So What Are GG Crackers?
GG crackers are a Scandinavian cracker that don’t look the most exciting on their own. Fortunately, the aforementioned fitness influencers have come up with some creative ways to make these crackers look and taste good. These infamous crackers each contain 4g of fiber and are each only 20 calories. So like, even if you wanted to binge these (which idk who would) you’re not gonna gain weight. Although, if you do decide to binge them, you’re def gonna need about eight bottles of water, because they’re drier than me while watching Venmo John make out with every girl on Bachelor in Paradise.
Why Do I Need More Fiber, Though?
Cause I’d bet my now-seemingly-worthless college degree on the fact that you’re not getting enough in your normal diet. Besides helping you feel full and aiding in weight loss, fiber has additional health benefits such as lowering cholesterol and improving blood sugar levels. Possibly even more important that that, according to a study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the risk for breast cancer risk was 12%-19% lower among women who ate more dietary fiber in early adulthood. Furthermore, for each additional 10 grams of fiber intake daily during early adulthood, a woman’s risk for breast cancer dropped by 13%. Of course, the study does say that it is most impactful when the fiber comes from fruit and vegetables…but I mean, every gram is still making you better off regardless. I’d recommend putting a spread on the crackers with a fruit or veggie on top, but hey, I’m no Dr. Oz.
Do GG Crackers Work?
I’d say so—I didn’t conduct an experiment with control groups or anything cause like, I’m not a scientist. But, I can tell you that I’ve been eating them for the past few months and my observations all point to yes, they work. They have definitely made me feel more full, which coming from someone whose stomach is normally a bottomless pit, is for sure a win. And, not to brag, but in my time consuming them I have in fact lost like, two pounds. Maybe it’s cause the crackers are just soaking up the two pounds’ worth of wine I consumed this past weekend? Idk, but like, whatever, I’ll take it.
How Can I Make Them Edible?
There’s tons of ways to incorporate GG Crackers into legit every meal. There’s currently a bunch of crazy recipes on the interwebs telling you how to reinvent them—like, one where you can even crumble them up and make pancakes! I’m not saying they’re gonna be Aunt Jemima status, but it’s something. An even more simple breakfast option is to put egg and avocado on the crackers, and maybe even add a piece of cheese if you’re feeling naughty. Another delicious option is to add cream cheese, lox, and capers, and it’s like you don’t even miss the the bagel! Okay, no substitute on Earth is as good as a bagel, but it’s still pretty f*cking good and a hell of a lot healthier. For lunch, try tuna fish or chicken salad on the crackers. For dinner, you can make your own “GG pizza” with sauce, cheese, and seasoning. Easy af and healthy af, just the way I like it. Might as well even put your creation on your Insta story cause you’re like, soooo trendy now.
Where Can I Get GG Crackers?
Apparently they’re available at Whole Foods, but to me this is like the legend of Big Foot; people claim they’ve seen them, but whenever I go out searching they’re nowhere to be found. I order mine on Amazon because like, not to brag, AGAIN, but I have Amazon Prime. This means I can get a huge value pack delivered within two days, rather than wasting two days searching for them at all of my local Whole Foods.
I’d suggest getting on board with GG crackers now before they’re sold out on Amazon. Betches everywhere have been ordering countless packs of these magical crackers in hopes of better bodies and cooler Insta feeds. Just spread a little almond butter right on top your crackers and you’ll totally forget about the fact that you’re not eating real bread.
Images: GIPHY (2); @f_factor / Instagram;
