The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans depict that women should strive for at least 25 grams of fiber in their diet each day while men should aim for at least 31 grams of fiber in their diet. Consuming high fiber foods can help to keep your heart, gut, and body healthy. High fiber foods are those that contain 8 or more grams of fiber per serving, and snacks are those that should contain at least 3 or more grams of fiber per serving.
There is a slew of health benefits that are associated with high-fiber foods. High fiber foods also decrease the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. In addition to this, high fiber diets can aid in weight loss, digestive health maintenance, and weight maintenance.
Although, your body can take some time to adjust to the high fiber diets when you change your eating pattern because it differs greatly from how you have been eating previously.
To assist your body to adjust to this healthy eating shift, be sure to gradually incorporate new foods into your diet and drink plenty of water. By adding a lot of fiber all at once, you may have cramping or digestive discomfort, which may be avoided by doing this.
There are diverse options of high fiber foods that can help you to reach your fiber goal in a small amount of time. Apple can be our first thought when thinking about high fiber foods to inculcate in our diet but an apple of medium size contains 4 grams of fiber. There are many other options as well that contain more fiber than apples.
Following are the 13 foods that contain a high amount of fiber.
13 High Fiber Foods to include in your diet
1. Avocados Contain Heart-Healthy Fats and Plenty of Fiber.
Avocados are among the high fiber foods that include a lot of vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E, and other B vitamins. They are also a fantastic source of healthful fats. They also offer a host of health advantages. And unlike the majority of fiber-rich foods, Taylor adds, you may use them as a condiment. If you’re a real Millennial, you’ll spread avocado on toast or sandwiches in place of mayonnaise.
Another delectable method to achieve your recommended daily fiber intake is to eat guacamole with whole-grain crackers or with raw vegetables. Beyond their heart-healthy fats and incredible flavor, avocados have another reason to be loved: half of an avocado has roughly 5 grams of fiber or 18 percent of your daily value.
2. Artichokes Have a High Fiber Content and Few Calories
Artichokes are also among the high fiber foods — 1 cup of cooked artichoke hearts has 6 grams of fiber. In addition, artichokes are a wonderful source of potassium, an electrolyte, and a mineral that is vital for heart health and can support normal blood pressure.
The hearts of artichokes are quite high in fiber. They can be piled high on pizza or added to salads. Try the canned variety if handling these spiky vegetables seems too frightening. (However, if you’re using canned food, pay attention to the sodium content to avoid going overboard.)
The artichoke doesn’t garner much public attention. However, this vegetable is one of the richest sources of fiber in the world and is high in many nutrients.
3. Green peas increase your fiber intake and supply vital vitamins.
Another addition to the high fiber foods is green peas. Green peas are an excellent source of fiber and are finally beginning to receive the credit they really deserve for being a powerhouse of plant protein. Green peas are an excellent source of fiber, with a typical 2/3 cup serving to provide 6 grams. This makes them the ideal addition to your family’s favorite supper recipes. They go well with steak and cauliflower fried rice.
4. Filling Up on Fiber is Simple and Fun with Edamame
Edamame is also one of the high fiber foods. According to the USDA, edamame has roughly 5 g of fiber every 12 cups, or 18% of the DV, making it a pleasant and high-fiber snack. “It offers the much sought-after trio of protein, fiber, and healthy fat in a single serving. reported in the March 2020 issue of Circulation found that eating foods containing isoflavones, such as edamame or tofu, was associated with a slightly decreased risk of heart disease.
5. Chickpeas are a versatile, high-fiber food that also contains protein and iron.
Among the legumes, chickpeas are a favorite since they are high fiber foods. Chickpeas, often known as garbanzo beans, are a plant-based protein source and are packed with vitamins, and minerals. These tiny beans pack a powerful fiber punch. The amount of fiber in half a cup of cooked chickpeas is roughly 6 grams. They have great nutritious content, are among the best sources of protein and fiber, and keep you full, according to Taylor. You may roast them whole for a crunchy, shelf-stable snack, add them to soups or salads, or enjoy chickpea hummus as a snack.
Hummus is one of the simplest spreads to create at home because chickpeas serve as its foundation. It goes well on salads, vegetables, whole grain toast, and other things.
6. Lentils are an easy way to get fiber
Lentils, which are legumes, are incredibly adaptable nutritious powerhouses and, when cooked, have a soft bite. Legumes are high fiber foods. They include a variety of vitamins and minerals and are an excellent vegetarian source of iron and protein.
According to the USDA, 12 cups of cooked lentils contain about 7 g of fiber (or 25% of the DV), making them a healthy addition to burgers, stuffed peppers, and burritos. They are excellent in soups and cook rapidly.
To increase the plant-powered healthiness of your chili, try replacing some of the meat with lentils. They are excellent in soups and cook rapidly. Spices such as cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cinnamon are added to this lentil soup.
7. Pears Make the Ideal Fiber-Rich Dessert.
Pears, another fruit, are a great source of fiber and are high fiber foods. For one medium fruit, pears offer an amazing 6 grams of fiber. Fresh pears go well with cottage cheese as a snack, and they can also be cooked in cider and served with whipped cream as a dessert.
They have a higher concentration of soluble fiber than many other fruits, which slows digestion and reduces cholesterol. In the same way that you would make applesauce, you may also cook them to produce your own “pear sauce.”
8. Raspberries Are One of the High Fiber Foods
Berries are high fiber foods that are highly nutritious and they have antioxidants that are also beneficial to prevent inflammation. One cup of raspberries contains 8 grams of fiber in one cup which is approximately 28 percent of the daily value. They incorporate sweet-tart flavor into snacks and smoothies. You can also sprinkle them on yogurt to get high fiber and proteins. They are also rich in vitamin C and manganese.
9. Chia seeds are also included in high fiber foods list
Chia seeds, which are tiny, black seeds, are the world’s best high fiber foods and are very well-liked in the natural health community.
They are very nutrient-dense and contain significant levels of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. The Mayo Clinic describes them as a healthy form of fat since they are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids.
They offer a tonne of protein and are exceptionally high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. They go well with cereal, salads, yogurt, pudding, oatmeal, and smoothies.
The jelly-like texture appeals to some people. Try adding them to a smoothie or yogurt immediately before you consume it if you’re not one of them. They are given less time to soak up water and swell.
10. Sweet potatoes
Sweet potato is a popular tuber with a sweet flavor and a lot of satisfying fiber. These high fiber foods contains a lot of beta-carotene, B vitamins, other minerals, and vitamin A, which is great for your immune system and eyesight health.
Sweet potatoes make a delicious substitute for bread or the base of nachos.
11. Dark chocolate
One of the tastiest foods in the world is undoubtedly dark chocolate and it is one of the high fiber foods.
It is also remarkably nutrient-rich, ranking among the foods with the highest levels of antioxidants and nutrients on the globe.
Just make sure to avoid items that are laden with added sugar and pick dark chocolate that has a cocoa percentage of 70-95% or higher.
12. Oats
One of the healthiest grains on the earth is oatmeal. They contain large amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
They have significant positive benefits on blood sugar and cholesterol levels because they contain the potent soluble fiber beta-glucan.
For quick breakfast ideas, overnight oats have become a mainstay.
13. Brussels sprouts
A cruciferous vegetable related to broccoli is the Brussels sprout.
They contain significant amounts of vitamin K, potassium, folate, and strong antioxidants that prevent cancer.
Try roasting Brussels sprouts with apples and bacon or drizzling balsamic vinegar over them.
Advantages of high fiber foods for gut health
The number of bacteria in the human body is ten times greater than the number of cells. Although bacteria can be found on the skin, in the mouth, and in the nose, they are most prevalent in the stomach, namely the large intestine.
The intestine is home to between 500 and 1,000 different types of bacteria, totaling around 38 trillion cells. The term “gut flora” refers to these bacteria in the gut. You and some of the bacteria that reside in your digestive tract have a mutually beneficial connection.
You give the bacteria food, a place to live, and a secure environment. In exchange, they do a few tasks that the human body is unable to complete on its own.
Some of the many varieties of bacteria are essential for maintaining your health in a number of ways, including managing your weight, blood sugar, immune system, and even brain function.
You might be wondering how this relates to high fibre foods. Like every other living thing, bacteria require food to survive and function.
The issue is that very little is provided for the gut flora because the majority of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids are absorbed into the circulation before they reach the large intestine.
Herein lies the role of fiber. Because human cells lack the enzymes necessary to digest fiber, it reaches the big intestine largely undigested.
However, many of these fibers can be broken down by gut bacteria’s enzymes.
The main justification for why (some) dietary fiber is necessary for health is this. They serve as prebiotics, feeding the “good” bacteria in the colon.
They do this by encouraging the development of “good” gut flora, which can have a number of health benefits.
The beneficial bacteria create short-chain fatty acids like butyrate, acetate, and propionate for the body, with butyrate appearing to be the most crucial.
Advantages of high fiber foods for heart health
Although research has proven that fiber may do much more than just keep you regular, most people equate it with a healthy digestive tract. However, researchers are still trying to understand exactly how it functions in the body. It benefits your heart in a number of ways, including:
- Reduces cholesterol: By perhaps interacting with cholesterol particles in your digestive tract and removing them from the body before they are absorbed, soluble fiber can lower both “bad” LDL and total cholesterol.
- Offers diabetes and stroke protection: You may reduce your risk of a stroke by up to 36% and your risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 30% by swapping out refined grains for fiber-rich whole grains in your diet, according to a study. Heart disease is linked to both illnesses’ elevated risks.
- Decrease blood pressure: In a different, smaller study, scientists fed 233 volunteers a high-fiber meal that had a lot of whole wheat and whole oats. After 12 weeks, participants blood pressure and pulse pressure decreased, the researchers discovered.
- Aids in promoting a healthy weight: Because it makes you feel full and helps prevent hunger, fiber can also be a powerful tool in the weight loss arsenal.