Top 10 High Fiber Foods You Should Eat
Fiber is incredibly important.
It leaves your stomach undigested and ends up in your colon, where it feeds friendly gut bacteria, leading to various health benefits.
Certain types of fiber may also promote weight loss, lower blood sugar levels, and fight constipation.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends consuming about 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories you consume daily. This translates to roughly 24 grams of fiber for women and 38 grams for men.
Unfortunately, an estimated 95% of American adults and children don’t meet the recommended daily fiber intake. In America, the average daily fiber intake is estimated to be 16.2 grams.
Fortunately, increasing your fiber intake is relatively easy — simply integrate high fiber foods into your diet.
What is fiber?
Fiber is a blanket term that applies to any type of carbohydrate that your body can’t digest. The fact your body doesn’t use fiber for fuel doesn’t make it less valuable to your overall health.
Dietary fiber can offer the following benefits when you consume it:
- Reducing cholesterol. Fiber’s presence in the digestive tract can help reduce the body’s cholesterol absorption. This is especially true if you take statins, which are medications to lower cholesterol, and use fiber supplements like psyllium fiber .
- Promoting a healthy weight. High fiber foods like fruits and vegetables tend to be lower in calories. Also, fiber’s presence can slow digestion in the stomach to help you feel fuller for longer.
- Adding bulk to the digestive tract. Those who struggle with constipation or a generally sluggish digestive tract may wish to add fiber to their diet. Fiber naturally adds bulk to the digestive tract, as your body doesn’t digest it. This stimulates the intestines.
- Promoting blood sugar control. It can take your body longer to break down high fiber foods. This helps you maintain more consistent blood sugar levels, which is especially helpful for those with diabetes .
- Reducing gastrointestinal cancer risk. Eating enough fiber can have protective effects against certain cancer types, including . There are many reasons for this, including that some types of fiber, such as the pectin in apples, may have antioxidant-like properties .
Fiber offers many health benefits, but it’s important to incorporate fiber-containing foods gradually over the course of a few days to avoid adverse effects, such as bloating and gas.
Drinking plenty of water while you up your fiber intake may also help keep these symptoms at bay.
Fortunately, increasing your fiber intake is relatively easy — simply integrate high fiber foods into your diet.
The pear is a popular fruit that’s both tasty and nutritious. It’s one of the best fruit sources of fiber.
Fiber content: 5.5 grams in a medium-sized, raw pear, or 3.1 grams per 100 grams (
Strawberries are a delicious, healthy option that can be eaten fresh.
Interestingly, they’re also among the most nutrient-dense fruits you can eat, boasting loads of vitamin C, manganese, and various powerful antioxidants. Try some in this banana strawberry smoothie.
Fiber content: 3 grams in 1 cup of fresh strawberries, or 2 grams per 100 grams (
The avocado is a unique fruit. Instead of being high in carbs, it’s loaded with healthy fats.
Avocados are very high in vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E, and various B vitamins. They also have numerous health benefits. Try them in one of these delicious avocado recipes.
Fiber content: 10 grams in 1 cup of raw avocado, or 6.7 grams per 100 grams (
Apples are among the tastiest and most satisfying fruits you can eat. They are also relatively high in fiber.
We especially like them in salads.
Fiber content: 4.4 grams in a medium-sized, raw apple, or 2.4 grams per 100 grams (
Raspberries are highly nutritious with a very strong flavor. They’re loaded with vitamin C and manganese.
Try blending some into this raspberry tarragon dressing.
Fiber content: One cup of raw raspberries contains 8 grams of fiber, or 6.5 grams per 100 grams (
Bananas are a good source of many nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin B6, and potassium.
A green or unripe banana also contains a significant amount of resistant starch, a type of indigestible carbohydrate that functions like fiber. Try them in a nut butter sandwich for a hit of protein, too.
Fiber content: 3.1 grams in a medium-sized banana, or 2.6 grams per 100 grams (
Other high fiber fruits
- Blueberries: 2.4 grams per 100-gram serving
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Blackberries: 5.3 grams per 100-gram serving (
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The carrot is a root vegetable that’s tasty, crunchy, and highly nutritious.
It’s high in vitamin K, vitamin B6, magnesium, and beta carotene, an antioxidant that gets turned into vitamin A in your body.
Toss some diced carrots into your next veggie-loaded soup.
Fiber content: 3.6 grams in 1 cup of raw carrots, or 2.8 grams per 100 grams (
The beet, or beetroot, is a root vegetable that’s high in various important nutrients, such as folate, iron, copper, manganese, and potassium.
Beets are also loaded with inorganic nitrates, which are nutrients shown to have various benefits related to blood pressure regulation and exercise performance (
Give them a go in this lemon dijon beet salad.
Fiber content: 3.8 grams per cup of raw beets, or 2.8 grams per 100 grams (
Broccoli is a type of cruciferous vegetable and one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet.
It’s loaded with vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, B vitamins, potassium, iron, and manganese and contains antioxidants and potent cancer-fighting nutrients.
Broccoli is also relatively high in protein, compared with most vegetables. We like turning them into a slaw for various uses.
Fiber content: 2.4 grams per cup, or 2.6 grams per 100 grams (
The artichoke doesn’t make headlines very often. However, this vegetable is high in many nutrients and one of the world’s best sources of fiber.
Just wait until you try them roasted.
Fiber content: 6.9 grams in 1 raw globe or French artichoke, or 5.4 grams per 100 grams (
