5 grocery swaps to boost your fibre intake

Fresh fruit and vegetables are the best source of fibre, but when you’re shopping the grocery store shelves for convenience foods, make these swaps to boost fibre

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burgers

Burgers

Swap this: Lick’s Homeburgers have 320 calories and a hefty 23 g fat (10 g of which are saturated) in each 153-g (about 1/3 lb.) beef burger. And fibre? Zilch.

For this: Lick’s Nature Burgers have 5 g fibre per 113-g (about 1/4 lb.) patty. Each vegan soy burger has 240 calories and 14 g fat (of which 7 g is saturated).

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soup

Soup

Swap this: Happy Planet Berkeley Butternut Squash Soup contains 2 g fibre in 1 cup (250 mL) of soup. It is low in calories (only 140), and fat (6 g, 2.5 g of which is saturated)-but there’s a better choice.

For this:
Happy Planet Moroccan Chickpea Soup has 5 g fibre in 1 cup of soup, thanks mainly to the chickpeas. (Bonus: It also contains spinach.) This soup has 120 calories and 3.5 g of fat (0.4 g of which is saturated).

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smoothie

Smoothie

Swap this: PC Blue Menu Yogurt Smoothie Strawberry is a source of calcium and protein, but a 250-mL (1 cup) bottle contains zero fibre. It has 200 calories and 2.5 g of fat (1.5 g saturated).

For this: PC Blue Menu Yogurt Smoothie Mango is a good swap. A 250-mL bottle has 4 g fibre (thanks to added chicory root inulin), for just 10 more cal­ories and the same amount of fat.

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bagels

Bagels

Swap this: Country Harvest Sesame bagels. If you’re looking for a fibre-rich breakfast, you’ll find just 2 g in each 90-g bagel. (One bagel has 240 calories and 2.5 g of fat, 0.5 g of which is saturated).

For this: Country Harvest Twelve Grain bagels. These have a few more calories (260) and fat grams (4.5 g, 1 g of which is sat­ur­ated)-but more than twice the fibre: 5 g. Add peanut butter for a breakfast with staying power.

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KD

Mac and Cheese

Swap this: Kraft Dinner Original macaroni and cheese is classic comfort food. But there’s only 1 g fibre per serving (3/4 cup/175 mL of prepared pasta). There are 240 calories and 5 g of fat when prepared according to the package directions.

For this: Kraft Dinner Smart High Fibre mac and cheese has an impressive 5 g fibre per 2/3 cup (150 mL), thanks to added inulin and oats. It has 190 calories and 3.5 g fat when made following the package directions.

Related:
6 ways to sneak more fibre into your diet
The 5 vegetables that are highest in fibre
8 reasons to eat more fibre

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