Food/Nutrition

Fiber is the Answer!

If you’re someone that is already experienced in fitness or someone looking to get into it, I’m sure you’ve heard “eat more protein.” Yes, I agree with all of the experts out there that it’s imperative for you to consume an ample amount of protein to not only build muscle, but to also fuel your body. What some people don’t realize is that by consuming all of that protein it’s incredibly hard on your digestive system. This can lead to your stomach bloating and either limit your bowel movements or make them completely cease. So why is that?

It’s because you aren’t consuming enough fiber. Fiber is what allows you to empty your bowels and continue the movement of food through your body. A high protein diet can and will back you up. Trust me, I know! I was consuming a crazy amount of protein because I was looking to put on muscle and wasn’t consuming enough fiber. I ended up feeling sick in my stomach, being bloated all of the time, and going to the bathroom was almost impossible. Thankfully, I went to the doctor and was told I needed to consume more fiber. It took some time, but I finally figured out the proper amount of protein and fiber I needed to incorporate into my diet to build muscle and to keep my gut healthy.

The Super Food Known as Quinoa

So, remember reading the post above that talked about incorporating protein and fiber into your diet? Well, I have found a super food that can help meet your dietary needs. Through much research and trying different foods, I found quinoa. It may be tiny, but let me tell you that it’s mighty!

Quinoa is defined as “an annual seed-producing flowering plant grown as a grain crop.” Quinoa is high in fiber, protein, magnesium, B vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin E, and several antioxidants. And it also contains sufficient amounts of all nine essential amino acids. To top it off, for those with a gluten allergy, Quinoa is gluten-free! At this point you should be jumping off of your couch and running to the nearest food market to purchase this super food, but wait!

You can purchase quinoa in a number of different ways. When I first went to the nearest food market, I right away saw the easy to microwave, prepackaged quinoa. Don’t buy that! It’s filled with sodium and pretty much negates the health benefits of consuming quinoa. Dig a little deeper in your wallet and purchase a bag of organic quinoa. It doesn’t have all of the sodium, so you can feel good about consuming it. Yes, it might cost more, but it’s as pure as it gets.

Now for cooking quinoa. It’s extremely easy and almost impossible to mess up. The recommended serving per meal is one cup. Quinoa grows about 4 times its original size once it’s fully cooked. For one cup, only use 1/4 cup of quinoa. Then just add water and cook it for about 15 minutes. I warn you that quinoa absorbs an incredible amount of water so you can start with 1/2 cup of water, but keep an eye on it because more than likely you’ll need to add more water. This is to not only allow the quinoa to fully cook, but to also prevent it from burning.