Fiber: Top 10 Foods High in Fiber

Why do I Need Fiber in my Diet?

Fiber, or “roughage,” often refers to the insoluble fibers found in the husks and seed coatings of grains. Insoluble fiber provides bulk that help move the contents of the intestines along, while at the same time adjusting the acidity and alkalinity of the intestinal tract. Eating an adequate amount of insoluble fiber can help you avoid many digestive problems, ranging from constipation to hemorrhoids, diverticular disease and even colon cancer.

But equally important to meeting the bodies needs is soluble fiber, which is found in fruits and vegetables: soluble fiber helps regulate the metabolism, so much so that diabetics who have a good input of soluble fiber are sometimes able to decrease their dosage of insulin. Soluble fiber can also help reduce cholesterol by removing it from the intestines.

Overall, fiber, whether soluble or insoluble, is crucial to the human diet. The average adult should be eating 25-35 grams of fiber daily. There are many fiber-rich foods, and they all have one thing in common: they are plant products.

What Foods Provide the Most Fiber?

Here are 10 foods that provide an optimum amount of fiber for your body. Of course, they are just ideas to get you started. Any whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables are good sources of fiber (not to mention, great sources of many other vitamins and minerals your body needs):

1. Whole bran cereal - 1 cup provides almost 20 grams of fiber
2. Oatmeal (dry) - 1 cup has 12 grams of fiber
3. Lentils (cooked) - 1 cup provides over 15 grams of fiber
4. Black beans (cooked) - 1 cup gives you almost 15 grams of fiber
5. Avocado - 1 whole avocado provides almost 12 grams of fiber
6. Grapefruit - 1 grapefruit provides 12 grams of fiber
7. Garbanzo beans (cooked) - 1 cup provides over 12 grams of fiber
8. Raspberries - 1 cup of this delicious, sweet berry provides more than 8 grams of fiber
9. Flax Seeds - 1 tablespoon provides 7 grams of fiber
10. Apples - 1 medium skin-on apple provides 5 grams of fiber

If you want to increase your fiber, you can start with some of the foods on this list. But you can also take in a lot more fiber simply by making overall food choices like the following: bake with whole wheat flour rather than white flour, use brown rice instead of white rice, serve bran cereals for breakfast, and have sliced vegetables and fruits readily available for snacking.

With an increase of fiber in your diet, you will find your digestive system running more smoothly and your overall health improved.