Congratulations to the 7% of Americans who get the recommended 25 to 30 grams of dietary fiber every day. As for the other 93%? We have an inkling why: Fiber doesn’t have the most glamorous rep, and often gets overshadowed by its fellow nutrient protein.
“Talking about fiber might not seem too exciting, but what it can do is actually amazing,” says Leslie Fink, R.D., a WW nutritionist. Its most well-known benefit is helping keep the digestive system regular, but, adds Fink, “fiber can help us feel fuller. It’s linked to improved digestion and heart health, and may help lower blood cholesterol levels.”
High-fiber diets are also linked to healthy weight maintenance, a lowered risk of certain cancers, and better blood sugar control for diabetes. And yet the USDA has recently deemed it among the most under-consumed nutrients in the United States.
How can we change that? The best way to have a fiber-full day is to ramp up your intake of fresh fruits, veggies, and whole grains (in other words, natural sources)—but you can also get fiber in…desserts!
That’s where our new partnership comes in. We’ve teamed up with Fiber One to launch bars being sold in stores nationwide (not a WW member? Look for a special joining offer on select boxes!) Each 70-calorie bar has 6 grams of fiber and only 2 Points™ values.
Eating them alone is a chocolatey treat unto itself. But if you’re looking for dessert variety, try these five delectable recipes, all 6 Points® and under, that we whipped up with Fiber One brownies.
1. Banana-chocolate chip
“nice” cream
Crumble two Fiber One Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies into small pieces and stir into this nice cream recipe instead of the chocolate chips. (2 Points®; 7 grams fiber)
2. Frosted-brownie cupcakes
Bake two WW Chocolate Cupcakes according to package directions; garnish each with 1½ tbsp light whipped topping and half a chopped Fiber One Chocolate Fudge Brownie. (5 Points®; 7 grams fiber)
3. Single-serve sweet
& salty snack mix
Freeze a Fiber One Chocolate Fudge Brownie for 10 minutes; slice it into 20 small squares. Toss the squares in a bowl with 2 cups salty air-popped popcorn and 2 tbsp reduced-sugar dried cranberries. (4 Points®; 15 grams fiber)
4. Berries & cream
chocolate chip brownie sandwich
Take two Fiber One Chocolate Chip Brownies and sandwich 2 to 2 ½ tbsp frozen light whipped topping and 1 sliced strawberry between them. (5 Points®; 12 grams fiber)
5. Triple chocolate brownie
ice cream sundae
Top a Fiber One Chocolate Chip Cookie or Chocolate Fudge Brownie with ⅓ cup slow-churned light vanilla ice cream, 3 medium chopped or sliced strawberries, ½ tbsp light chocolate syrup, and 1 tsp mini chocolate chips. (5 Points®; 9 grams fiber)
One final note about fiber: If you aren’t used to eating fiber-rich foods, pace yourself. Too much of the nutrient, too soon, can cause bloating and abdominal pain. Try adding one or two extra servings every few days along with lots of water to help move it smoothly through your body. You’ll be hitting your fiber goal in no time.