Foods rich in fiber

High fiber foods

Fiber from foods

vegetables
In general, fruits and vegetables are the best sources of fiber, both soluble and insoluble, which are also rich in vitamins and minerals.

Foods that contain fiber are only those of plant origin. Fiber is not found in foods of animal origin. Vegetables can contain two types of fiber: so-called soluble fiber and insoluble fiber.

Most plant foods contain both types of fiber, being richer in one type of fiber or another.

For example, cereals and legumes are very rich in insoluble fiber, while fruits and vegetables are richer in soluble fiber.

* More information: Types of fiber

How much fiber should you take a day?

The recommended daily intake of fiber for a healthy diet is 25 to 30 grams of fiber for adults.

Fiber should be consumed from all types of foods, which provide both types of fiber, until reaching the recommended daily amount (RDA), that is estimated at 25 to 35g each day.

It is necessary to take into account the particular properties of each type of fiber in order to take advantage of them in the treatment of a specific anomaly.

The following article shows a list of foods rich in fiber, grouped according to whether it is soluble or insoluble and the main applications of each of them. For a more detailed study of fiber see the links in the link block.

Sheet with the fiber content of some natural foods rich in fiber.

Foods rich in soluble fiber

Foods that contain soluble fiber are those that are most interesting especially for constipation, hemorrhoids, to control the level of cholesterol in the blood and to maintain stable sugar levels in diabetics. Among the foods richest in soluble fiber we can mention:

  • Dried fruits: Among all of them, dried fruits stand out, such as raisins, plums, dried apricots, dried banana, fig bread, etc.
  • Fruits: Fresh fruits are also a great source of fiber, especially those consumed with seeds: strawberries, kiwis, figs, raspberries, medlars, green bananas, raspberries, blackberries, apples, plums, pears, oranges, lemons, grapefruits and nectarines.
  • Vegetables: Okras, nopal, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, peppers, beets, artichokes, potatoes, cucumbers, asparagus, aubergines, carrots, borage, squash, garlic, lettuce, cassava, spinach, chayote, tomatoes.
  • Tubers: potato, sweet potato.
  • Seeds: flax seeds, chia seeds, ispagol seeds and psyllium seeds stand out.
  • Cereals: In general, they contain more insoluble fiber than soluble, except in the case of oats that provide soluble fiber beta-glucans.

Influence of cooking on the properties of the fiber

The type of culinary treatment that we apply to vegetables can improve the assimilation of fiber by the microbiota. For example, baked or compote apples

nuts
Photo of nuts, whole grains and legumes. Insoluble fiber rich foods

produce a highly fermentable type of pectin (it changes the conformation of the fiber, it is more gelatinous and has greater fermentation power).

On the other hand, another type of fiber that is very interesting for its prebiotic effect is resistant starch. It is achieved by cooking tubers and cereals (although especially potatoes and roots), and re-cooling them. For example, the potato is boiled, left to cool in the refrigerator, and then consumed (it can be reheated or eaten cold). This resistant starch is highly fermentable and has a prebiotic effect.

Insoluble Fiber-Containing Foods

Insoluble fiber is particularly interesting as a laxative, with more immediate effects than soluble fiber. Likewise, the ability of soluble and insoluble fiber to accelerate transit and get rid of harmful particles from the intestine helps reduce the risk of colon cancer. Among the foods richest in insoluble fiber we can mention:

  • Cereals: especially whole grains. Among them, barley, oats, birdseed, brown rice, rye stand out.
  • Legume; especially chickpeas, peas, soybeans, kidney beans, broad beans, lentils, etc.
  • Nuts: walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, pistachios, etc.
  • Whole wheat bread
  • Wheat bran

*See: Diet for intestinal flora

TABLE OF FOODS RICH IN FIBER

(The nutritional tables do not specify the type of fiber)

Table of fiber content of some foods

(Recommended daily ration of 20 to 35 g)

1 cup cooked whole wheat barley8,8 g
½ cup pinto beans6,4 g
1 cup raspberries5,5 g
½ cup white beans4,4 g
1 pear4.6 g
1 cup blackberries4 g
½ cup cooked peas4 g
½ cup broccoli3,6 g
2 slices whole wheat bread3,2 g
½ cup Brussels sprouts3 g
5 prunes3 g
1 orange3 g
1 apple3 g
1 cooked small sweet potato3 g
1 cup strawberries2,7 g
¾ cup of cooked brown rice2,5 g
½ cup cooked carrots2,5 g
½ cup cooked spinach2,2 g
½ cup cooked oatmeal2, 2 g
1 small baked potato with skin2,2 g
½ cup cooked corn1,7 g
2 tablespoons sprouted wheat1,5 g
2 tablespoons wheat bran1 g

Related information:

Chia seeds very rich in fiber

Food for heart health

Fiber and cellulite

Will I lose fat eating fiber?

punto rojo More information on the properties of fiber and a diet rich in fiber

This article was endorsed by Elisenda Carballido - Dietitian nutritionist. Postgraduate in Phytotherapy and master in Nutrition and Metabolism.
Editorial
Written by Editorial Botanical-online team in charge of content writing

20 October, 2021

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