Consuming dietary fiber helps lower your cholesterol and maintains healthy blood sugar levels. However, getting an adequate amount into your diet is not always easy, tasty, or even possible. In fact, most Americans get less than one-third of the FDA recommended amount every day. 

But, you don’t have to go out and buy a food processor just yet. If you are not a fan of veggies you can drink your way to a better state of health with high fiber drinks. These beverages are taking the diet and nutrition world by storm and will soon do for fiber what smoothies did for vitamins.

 

 

Let’s face it, getting the daily recommended portion of vitamins, fiber, and minerals is a challenge. Your busy schedule, expensive organic produce, and lack of a personal chef don’t help the pursuit either. Luckily, that’s where the producers of high fiber drinks come in. Instead of boiling, steaming, peeling, and prepping, you can simply pop open a can, and drink a refreshing beverage that unlike sodas or colas, is actually helping your health, not hurting it. 

 

You may be thinking, “how does fiber get into a liquid?” The answer is in the magic word “soluble”. While most of the fiber sources you generally think of are insoluble, (they don’t dissolve in water), there are several types of this valuable element that can be dissolved in liquids, and that’s how they find their way into this delicious delivery system. 

 

 

And the benefits keep on coming. Besides the health attributes mentioned above, dietary fiber helps you feel full, which can curb cravings and keep your weight loss on-track. It also promotes better bowel movements and could even help reduce the risk of contracting certain cancers. Conversely, not obtaining enough fiber could lead to symptoms such as:

● Constipation

● High blood sugar 

● Weight gain 

● Nausea

● Fatigue

 

Some of the enhanced drinks on the market give you even more benefits with added prebiotics and botanical extracts to aid with digestion. Prebiotics are like super food for the bacteria living in your gut, and they help your system function at its best. 

 

 

It turns out there are plenty to choose from, and they are much more appealing than scarfing down a whole plate of cauliflower. The drinks come in a wide variety and incorporate several different forms. If you want a thicker, more shake or smoothie-like consistency, there are plenty on the market in that category. But if you don’t like to chew your beverages, you can find refreshing soda and sparkling water versions instead.

 

While some manufactured fruit juices can be a good source of fiber, they are almost always overloaded with sugar and coloring dyes, which end up doing your nutrition more harm than good. You could make some fiber-rich concoctions yourself, but it will once again be a convenience and time issue if you’re running behind or don’t want to invest in the peeling, blending, and mixing yourself. 

 

 

As always, you should consult with your physician, nutritionist, or dietitian before you make a major change to your diet, and consider any medications you are currently on, preexisting health conditions you have, or if you are pregnant or nursing. 

 

With so many people needing to stay healthy on the go, the makers of these high fiber drinks have found a way to fill the demand with their supply. Your health, and possibly your spouse will thank you for ditching the smelly and cumbersome veggie prep and choosing to sip on some tasty and beneficial beverages instead.