I choose to call this concoction a roughie instead of a smoothie because it supplies about 1/2 of the daily need for roughage (dietary fiber). Fiber is good for your intestines. It isn't that easy to get 20-35 grams of fiber per day by eating just vegetables and fresh fruit. Unless your diet is rich in legumes like pinto beans and whole grains, you may not reach the target. White bread and potatoes have minimal fiber.

Fruits like apples and oranges have 2-3 gms of fiber per piece. Veggies have 1-3 gms per serving. A 1/2 cup of beans may have 4-6 gms. As my usual breakfast contains a high fiber cereal (I like Kashi) and fresh fruit, I am well on the way to meeting the recommended daily amount of fiber. If you happen to meet a gastroenterologist at a holiday party, you can ask about my advice.

Breakfast Roughie

1 cup high fiber cereal (sch as Kashi Go Lean, Bran Flakes or Shredded Wheat)
1 cup skim milk
2 servings fresh fruit (mix and match --- like many people, I like bananas as one of the choices even though they are not locally grown)

Put all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Serve then, or transport it in a plastic bottle to drink later if you first do some morning exercise.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
Calories: 358
Fat: 2 gm
Saturated Fat: 0 gm
Trans Fat: 0 gm
Cholesterol: 49 mg
Carbohydrate: 79 gm
Fiber: 13 gm
Protein: 15 gm
Sodium: 273 mg

1 Comment Posted Post a comment below

Bob said...

If you substitute original Fiber One cereal you substantially increase fiber and reduce calories. Or add some ground flax seed meal to increase omega 3s and fiber. Note: Good idea. I had used that brand in the past but forgot about it. More fiber and less calories is a good thing. It is very difficult for most people to get the recommended 20-25 gms of fiber daily. This kind of a breakfast can help. Dr. M

POSTED: June 8, 2008 01:57 PM

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