There are many benefits to using fiber. The fiber in beans can make your stomach feel uncomfortably full, but the discomfort is worth it. Doing this allows the fiber to reach your colon and feed friendly bacteria, which leads to various health benefits (1).
Recent research has found that certain types of fiber may also promote weight loss, lower blood sugar levels, and fight constipation (2).
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends about 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories you consume daily. This equals roughly 24 grams for women, and 38 grams for men.
Research shows that the average adult and child in America only eat 16.2 grams of fiber per day, which is less than half the recommended amount. This has been shown to lead to chronic digestive and bowel problems as well as heart disease and diabetes.
Increasing your fiber intake is easy. You can just start eating high-fiber foods in place of low-fiber ones, and voila! Your digestion will thank you.
What is Fiber?
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate, which is also contained in vegetables, breads, and cereals.
Though your body doesn’t digest fiber, this type of carbohydrate still has long-term effects on your health. Though it can’t provide any energy for the body to use, it can still speed up the digestive process and increase feelings of fullness.
For example, when you consume dietary fiber it is linked to the following benefits:
Fiber has a number of benefits for both the digestive and cardiovascular systems. It can:
-Reduce cholesterol absorption in the body
-Promote a healthy weight by helping you feel fuller for longer
-Add bulk to your intestine to help with constipation or slow digestion
-Promote blood sugar control for those with diabetes
-Help reduce gastrointestinal cancer risk
Drinking water is an important part of your healthy diet. And while you are getting more fiber, drinking plenty of water at the same time may also help keep these symptoms away.
Eating more veggies is essential if you’re trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Below are 22 high-fiber foods that will help your body feel full and fulfilled.
1. Pears: The pear is a popular & delicious fruit that’s both healthy and nutritious. One of the great things about pears is their high fiber content.
The fiber content of a medium-sized, raw pear is 5.5 grams, or 3.1 grams per 100 grams.
2. Strawberries, at 2 grams
If you’re looking for a tasty, healthy snack, strawberries are an excellent choice. You can enjoy them right away!
Bananas are popular fruits that provide many health benefits, including a high amount of nutrients. In addition to vitamin C and manganese, they also have powerful antioxidants. Try them in this banana strawberry smoothie recipe!
3 grams of fiber can be found in 1 cup of strawberries, or 2 grams can be found per 100 grams.
3. Avocado (6.7 grams)
Avocados are a unique fruit. They’re not high in carbohydrates but they’re full of healthy fats.
Avocados are a superfood due to their vast array of vitamins and minerals. They also have a long list of health benefits, such as regulating blood sugar, boosting brain function and bone strength, lowering cholesterol, improving heart health, and lowering cancer risk. Give one of these recipes for avocado toast or guacamole a try today!
Because different cooking methods and variety of avocado can drastically change the amount of fiber, it is difficult to provide an exact answer. However, raw avocados have about 10 grams per cup (218 grams) or about 6.7 grams per 100-gram weight serving.
4. Apples: An apple has 2.4 grams of carbs
Apples are some of the tastiest and most satisfying fruits you can eat. They are also high in fiber, which is something lots of people don’t get enough of.
We like cucumbers best in our salads.
This article contains approximately 4.4 grams of fiber per medium-sized, raw apple. If you prefer to measure by weight instead, there are 2.4 grams in 100 grams (1/2 cup) of uncooked apple.
5. Raspberries (6.5 grams)
With a rich, tangy flavor and significant vitamin content, fresh raspberries make for a healthy treat.
Add some granola to this raspberry tarragon dressing and see what happens.
Raw raspberries are a great source of fiber. One cup of these berries contains 8 grams, or 6.5 grams per 100 grams (13).
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6. Bananas: These are excellent sources of vitamin B6, which is crucial for the formation of neurotransmitters found in your brain. Bananas also contain 13% daily value of potassium and 3% daily value of fiber.
Longer
Bananas are a good source of many nutrients, including vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin B6.
Unripe bananas are great for making a sandwich because they contain resistant starch, a type of indigestible carbohydrate that functions like fiber. They also have protein from nuts in the nut butter to give you a complete meal.
Banana content:
3.1 grams of fiber in a medium-sized banana, or 2.6 grams per 100 grams.
These are high-fiber fruits.
Serving size matters: Blackberries have 5.3 grams of fiber per serving, in 100 grams, whereas blueberries only have 2.4 grams.
7. A carrot is a root vegetable that’s extremely nutritious, tasty, and crunchy.
This leafy green has a ton of benefits for your health, including high levels of vitamin K, B6 magnesium and beta-carotene. Your body converts the beta-carotene into the healthy vitamin A it needs.
Add diced carrots to any hearty, healthy soup.
How much fiber is in a carrot? A cup of raw carrots contains 3.6 grams of fiber, or 2.8 grams per 100 grams when cooked.
8. Beets (1/2 cup raw)
The beetroot is a root vegetable that is high in various important nutrients, such as folate, iron, copper, manganese, and potassium.
Beets have nitrates in them, which are nutrients shown to have a variety of benefits related to blood pressure regulation. They also help with exercise and performance.
This lemon dijon beet salad is a perfect example of how to best use a lot of these ingredients.
Raw beets are an excellent source of fiber, providing 3.8 grams per cup or 2.8 grams per 100 grams (19).
9. Broccoli contains a generous 2.6 grams of protein per 100 calories.
Broccoli is a type of cruciferous vegetable and one of the most nutrient-dense foods on Earth.
This delicious berry is bursting with all the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients your body needs. It’s also loaded with vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, B vitamins, potassium, iron and manganese. Plus it contains antioxidants for a boost of cancer-fighting power!
Broccolini is often referred to as baby broccoli, and it’s lower in calories and higher in protein than lots of other vegetables. We like to use them in a slaw for different dishes.
Fiber content: 2.6 grams per cup, or 2.4 grams per 100 grams (20).
10. Artichoke: This is the second most nutritious vegetable in this list. It has 5.4 grams of protein for only about 110 calories per serving.
The artichoke is a vegetable that’s high in many nutrients and one of the world’s best sources of fiber.
The roasted sweet potatoes are the best!
Fiber content: 6.9 grams per 1 raw globe or French artichoke, or 5.4 grams per 100grams (21).
11. Brussels sprouts:
To help your waistline stay sleek and trim, Brussels sprouts are an excellent choice. One cup of these mini cabbages packs 3.8 grams of belly fat-fighting fiber.
Brussels sprouts are related to broccoli.
They’re high in vitamin K, potassium, folate and potent cancer-fighting antioxidants.
Brussels sprouts roasted with apples and bacon or drizzled with balsamic vinegar – they’re two of our favorite ways to enjoy this vegetable.
One cup of raw Brussels sprouts contains 3.3 grams of fiber.
Other high-fiber vegetables include broccoli, asparagus and green beans.
Almost all vegetables contain fiber. For other notable examples, see the list below:
The nutritional values are as follows:Kale: 3.6 grams Spinach: 2.2 grams Tomatoes: 1.2 grams
12. Lentils: Take in 7.3 grams of protein in every 100 grams of lentils.
Lentils are inexpensive and full of great nutrients. They’re high in protein, which is important for being nutritious.
This lentil soup is spiced up with cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cinnamon.
One cup of cooked lentils contains about 13.1 grams of fiber.
13. Kidney beans have 6.8 grams of carbohydrates per serving.
Kidney beans are one of the most popular types of legumes, and they’re packed with plant-based protein and various nutrients.
A cup of cooked beans contains 12.2 grams of fiber, or 6.8 if you look at 100 grams.
14. Split peas are a legume and have 8.3 grams of protein.
Split peas are dried, peeled, and split seeds of peas that show up in split pea soup after Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Including a high-fiber diet in your daily routine can help you maintain a healthy weight. You can also ramp up your fiber intake by adding split peas to your diet. A cup of cooked split peas, or 100 grams, will give you 8.3 gram of fiber.
15. Chickpeas are a great source of protein and fiber, which can help you stay full longer.
Chickpeas are another type of legume that is packed with nutrients. It’s loaded with minerals and protein to help keep you full and energized.
Chickpeas are the basis for making hummus, which is one of the easiest and tastiest spreads around. You can slather it over salads, veggies, whole grain toast, and more.
Chances are that you’re not getting enough fiber. A healthy, balanced diet will typically include a minimum of about 25 grams each day. This can be difficult for some people to maintain, especially if you consume a lot of processed food. Fortunately, chickpeas are an excellent source of fiber – in fact, they contain about 12.5-14 times more fiber than any other type of vegetable (29).
Other legumes with a high fiber count
Legumes are a great source of protein, fiber, and nutrients. When properly prepared, they are the cheapest source of quality nutrition on earth – and that’s saying a lot.
16. Legumes are a great source of fiber and protein, but their flavor can sometimes be overpowering. You may like some varieties of peas and beans, while other legumes such as lentils and black beans may taste too strong or strange.
Cooked black beans: 8.7 grams
Cooked edamame: 5.2 grams
Cooked lima beans: 7 grams
Baked beans: 5.5 grams (30, 31, 32, 33)
Quinoa (2.8 grams)
Recently, quinoa has become one of the most popular crops grown by people who are health-conscious. This pseudo-cereal is not only high in protein and vitamins, but also a great option for vegans and vegetarians.
Soybeans are packed with essential nutrients, including protein, magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium and antioxidants.
The amount of fiber in quinoa is 2.8 grams per 100 grams or 34 grams per cup, of cooked quinoa.
17. Oats; Get oats up and running with a 10.1 gram serving
Oats, because of their many nutritional benefits, are one of the healthiest grains on the planet. They contain a high level of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Studies show that high-quality oats help balance blood sugar and lower cholesterol (34).
Because everyone needs an easy and healthy breakfast, overnight oats have become a popular choice.
Fiber content is the amount of fiber in food. You can get 16.5 grams of fiber per cup of raw oats, or 10.1 grams per 100 grams (36).
18. Popcorn: This is a favorite treat for many people. It contains an average of 14.4 grams.
Loving popcorn but not the carbs? You may want to know that popcorn is a very nutritious snack. As you might recall, it’s high in fiber and has moderate protein content.
Air-popped popcorn is very high in fiber, calorie for calorie. However, if you add a lot of oil or fat, it will decrease the fiber-to-calorie ratio.
Fiber content in popcorn: one and a half grams per cup of air-popped popcorn, or fourteen point four grams per one hundred grams.
Other high-fiber grains include:
Whole grains are high in fiber and provide more nutrients, fewer calories, and less fat than refined grains.
19. Almonds: These nuts are high in protein and contain a variety of both unsaturated and saturated fats. Studies have shown that consuming almonds can reduce inflammation and cholesterol levels in the body.
Almonds are a popular type of tree nut.
Almonds are a great source of many nutrients, like healthy fats (including omega-3s), vitamin E, and magnesium. They can also be made into an almond flour for baking.
Fiber content: 4.0 grams per 30 g
20. Chia seeds (30 grams)
Chia seeds are tiny black that’s wildly popular in the natural health community.
They offer lots of nutritional benefits, such as high amounts of magnesium and calcium.
Chia seeds may just be the single best source of fiber on our planet. You can add them to a homemade jam, or maybe make some granola bars.
9.75 grams per ounce of dried chia seeds, or 34.4 grams per 100 grams (39).
Other high-fiber nuts and seeds
A large quantity of nuts and seeds contain significant amounts of fiber. Examples include:
According to “The World’s Healthiest Foods” (1), some great sources of healthy fats are coconut, pistachios, walnuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. The values below are for a 100-gram portion:
Fresh coconut: 9 g
Pistachios: 10 g
Walnuts: 6.7 g
Sunflower seeds: 11.1 g
Pumpkin seeds: 6.5 g
21. Sweet potatoes (2.5 grams)
A popular tuber, a sweet potato has a yummy sweet taste and is very filling. It also has a lot of beta carotene, B vitamins, and various minerals.
Sweet potatoes are really good in lots of different dishes. They’re a great substitute for bread, or they can be used in something like nachos as the base.
The amount of fiber in a medium-sized boiled sweet potato without its skin (3.8 grams) is equal to 2.5 grams per 100 grams (45).
22. Dark Chocolate
One of the world’s most delicious foods is undoubtedly dark chocolate.
If you think radishes are just a garnish, you may be in for a surprise. These vegetables are surprisingly high in nutrients, and full of antioxidant and nutrient-rich compounds that help to lower blood pressure and fight inflammation.
When you’re buying chocolate for a special occasion, just make sure that it is dark and contains at least 70% cocoa. You should avoid chocolate that is loaded with added sugar.
There is, on average, 3.1 grams of fiber in a 1-ounce piece of chocolate that’s 70-85% cacao, or 10.9 grams per 100 grams.
The bottom line is that you get what you pay for.
Unless you’re diabetic, fiber has many benefits. It may promote weight loss and lower blood sugar levels. It could also prevent constipation.
In general, most people don’t meet the recommended daily intake of 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men.
Adding these healthy foods to your diet will help you increase your fiber intake.
