These fiber-rich foods will keep you away from feeling hungry for a longer duration, supports the digestive system, and thereby fulfilling your goal of weight loss. Fiber-rich foods are one of the most important elements to be considered in your daily diet if you are planning for weight loss.
What is fiber?
Fiber is a plant-based nutrient popularly known as roughage. It is the edible part of plants and contains all kinds of plant foods such as fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, cereals, and grains. Fibers are classified into two different groups called soluble and insoluble fibers.
Soluble fiber
The fiber that can be easily dissolved in water is called soluble fiber.
Soluble fiber is mostly found in cereals and grains like oats, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, and sometimes in fruits and vegetables.
Insoluble fiber
A fiber that does not dissolve in water is called insoluble fiber.
Insoluble fiber is mostly found in vegetables such as cauliflower, green beans, potatoes, wheat flour. It plays an important role in weight loss by keeping you full for a longer duration.
Daily fiber intake
As per the plan suggested by the American Heart Association, 25 to 30 grams of daily fiber intake is recommended without the inclusion of supplements. In order to meet this daily fiber intake or recommended value, we suggest you 4 best tips to include 25-30 grams of daily fiber intake.
- Consume whole grains whenever possible
- Eat beans 2 to 3 times a week
- Include fruit and vegetables serving every day
- Consume smoothie made from flaxseeds or chia seeds every day
20 Best fiber-rich foods
Almost all fruits and vegetables contain fiber which is helpful for your body. Among these foods, we will be discussing more on the 20 best fiber-rich foods.
1. Almonds
Almonds are considered foods high in fiber with 11.6 grams from 95 grams of almonds, which is 46 percent of the daily fiber intake value.
It is also a good source of riboflavin, proteins, omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin E, folate, choline, niacin, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese.
Almond can help in lowering the blood sugar levels, reduces blood pressure, reduces cholesterol levels, and promotes weight loss by reducing hunger.
2. Popcorn
10 grams of popcorn contains 0.3 grams of dietary fiber which is 1 percent of the daily fiber intake value.
Popcorn is low in saturated fats and is a good source of omega-6 fatty acids which are considered healthy fats for our body. It also contains a good amount of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamin A, choline, and minerals like magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and selenium.
Popcorn is also an antioxidant-rich food, which can help in blood circulation and digestive health. It can also help in lowering the risk of cancer and consumption in a controlled manner can help in maintaining weight loss.
3. Teff
252 grams of cooked Teff contains 50 grams of dietary fiber in the form of carbohydrates.
Teff contains 79 percent slow-digesting carbs, 6 percent fats, and 15 percent proteins. Teff is low in cholesterol and is a good source of thiamin. It also contains a good amount of calories, proteins, vitamin A, niacin, folate, healthy fats, water, and ash.
Due to the low glycemic index, Teff is used to control blood glucose levels. Since it contains an adequate amount of slow-digesting carbs, it will keep you full for a longer duration and helps in healthy weight maintenance.
4. Oats
100 grams of raw oats contains 10.6 grams of dietary fiber and are considered high fiber foods.
Oat contains 70 percent slow-digesting carbs, 15 percent fats, and 15 percent proteins. Besides being fiber-rich foods, it is also a good source of proteins, healthy fats, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, pantothenic acids, water, and minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese.
Oats are rich in antioxidants and contain soluble fiber which helps in controlling blood sugar levels, helps to lose weight, prevents cardiovascular disease, prevents constipation, reduces cancer risk, reduces hypertension, and enhances the immune response to diseases.
5. Whole grain bread
26 grams of whole grain bread contains 1.9 grams of dietary fiber.
Whole grain bread contains 66 percent slow-digesting carbs, 14 percent healthy fats, 20 percent proteins, and supports healthy weight loss. It is an excellent source of omega-6 fatty acids, proteins, folate, niacin, choline, and minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and selenium.
A diet rich in whole grains is nutritious and it helps in reducing the risk of heart disease, prevents obesity, decreases the risk of type 2 diabetes, lowers the risk of stroke, supports healthy digestion, and reduces chronic inflammation.
6. Whole grain pasta
140 grams of whole grain pasta or spaghetti contains 6.3 grams of dietary fiber and considered food rich in fiber.
Whole grain pasta contains 81 percent slow-digesting carbs, 4 percent healthy fats, and 15 percent proteins. It contains an adequate amount of calories, proteins, vitamin A, vitamin K, folate, choline, betaine, and it is also considered food rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium.
Among many pasta forms, whole wheat pasta is considered healthy since it contains nutrients like complex carbs, healthy proteins, and dietary fibers. It provides a substantial amount of energy, promotes digestive health, is nutrient-rich, and helps in lowering blood sugar levels.
7. Carrots
78 grams of raw carrot contains 2 grams of dietary fiber and also rich in vitamin A.
Carrot is an excellent source of vitamin A, calories, vitamin C, proteins, antioxidants, beta carotene, natural sugars, folate, vitamin K, and minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
Carrot is a weight loss-friendly vegetable which helps in lowering cholesterol level and improves eye health. It can also help in bowel regularity, healthy digestion, boost heart health, lowers blood pressure, promotes skin health, and boost the immune system.
8. Sweet potato
133 grams of sweet potato contains 4 grams of dietary fiber that is 16 percent of daily fiber intake.
Sweet potato is also a good source of vitamin B6, potassium, and manganese. It also contains calories, 2.1 grams of proteins, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, pantothenic acid, choline, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, phytosterols, and water-rich foods with 103 grams of water.
Sweet potato is also an antioxidant-rich food that helps in promoting gut health, may contain cancer-fighting properties, supports healthy vision, helps in promoting brain function, and supports the immune system.
9. Russet potato
299 grams of Russet potato contains 6.9 grams of dietary fiber and considered a fiber-rich food.
It contains about 88 percent of slow-digesting carbs, 1 percent healthy fats, and 11 percent of healthy proteins. The russet potato is an excellent source of vitamin C, healthy calories, dietary fibers, healthy fats, proteins, folate, choline, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, fluoride, and a good amount of water.
Russet potato serves as an antioxidant, improves blood sugar control, digestive health, gluten-free, and keeps you full for a longer duration thereby promoting weight loss.
10. Artichokes
120 grams of artichoke contains 10.3 grams of dietary fiber that is equivalent to 41% of daily fiber intake.
Artichoke is comprised of 82 percent of slow-digesting carbs, 5 percent healthy fats, and 13 percent of proteins. It is low in cholesterol and is a good source of calories, vitamin A, vitamin K, choline, water, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium.
Health benefits of artichoke include lowering bad LDL cholesterol, increasing good LDL cholesterol, helps in regulating blood pressure, improves liver health, improves digestive health due to fiber contents, helps in lowering the blood sugar levels, and eases the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
11. Broccoli
91 grams of raw broccoli contains 2.4 grams of dietary fiber that is equivalent to 9 percent of daily fiber intake.
Broccoli is comprised of 71 percent slow-digesting carbs, 9 percent healthy fats, and 20 percent proteins. Broccoli is low in saturated fats and is a good source of proteins, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, choline, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium.
Regular consumption of broccoli helps in reducing inflammation, acts as an antioxidant agent, aids in blood sugar control, supports a healthy heart, promotes digestive health and reduces constipation, helps in promoting brain function provided you avoid these 7 bad habits that harm’s your brain health, acts as an anti-aging agent, boost immune functions, and supports oral health.
12. Pumpkin
116 grams of raw pumpkin contains 0.6 grams of dietary fiber and serves a food high in fiber.
It also contains a good amount of vitamin A, proteins, vitamin C, calories, vitamin K, folate, choline, omega-3 fatty acids, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, phytosterols, and an adequate amount of water.
Pumpkin helps in keeping you full for a longer duration thereby supporting weight loss, improves heart health, increases prostate health, sharpens your eyesight, and serves as an antioxidant agent helpful for your body.
13. Dried fig
100 grams of dried fig contains 12 grams of fiber which is considered fiber-rich foods.
Besides being fiber-rich foods, it also contains a high amount of natural sugar (53g) and cautions diabetic patients to consult their medical provider before consuming a large amount of dried fig. It also contains a good amount of calories, proteins, healthy fats, and minerals like calcium, potassium, and sodium.
Dried fig helps in weight management, boosting heart health, lowers blood pressure, promotes reproductive health, prevents constipation, improves bone health, and regulates bone health.
14. Banana
100 grams of ripened banana contains 2.6 grams of dietary fiber equivalent to 9 percent of daily fiber intake.
Banana is composed of a minimal amount of fats (0.3g), sugars (12g), proteins (1.1g), and minerals like calcium (5mg), iron (0.26mg), and potassium (358mg).
Banana is a superfood that helps in boosting energy, promotes heart health, reduces menstrual pain, and it is one of the best hangover removers.
15. Avocado
100 grams of raw avocado contains 7 grams of dietary fiber. It is one of the best fiber-rich foods. 25 percent of fiber content in avocado is soluble and 75 percent is insoluble.
Avocado also contains a good amount of vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, riboflavin, thiamin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, vitamin E, and minerals like potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and manganese.
Avocado has many health benefits including maintenance of electrical gradients, contains monounsaturated fatty acids which are healthy for your heart, lowers cholesterol, fats from the avocado helps in absorbing nutrients from plant foods, acts as an antioxidant agent and protects your eyes, and relieves the symptoms of arthritis.
16. Chia seeds
One ounce or 28 grams of chia seed contains 10.6 grams of dietary fiber.
Chia seed is an excellent high in fiber foods along with a good amount of slow-digesting carbs, healthy fats, proteins, calories, omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, water, and minerals like calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium.
Besides being highly nutritious foods as stated in chia seed nutrition value and 5 recipes for weight loss, it also helps in reducing chronic inflammation, reduce blood sugar levels, help with weight loss, high in antioxidants and its health benefits, and supports bone health.
5 Health benefits of dietary fiber
Among many other health benefits, dietary fiber helps in normalizing bowel movements, lowers cholesterol levels, and will discuss more below.
1. Promotes Digestive health
Dietary fiber plays an important role in digestive health by keeping the digestive tract and bowel movements regular. This is the reason why you need to consume more fiber-rich foods to prevent constipation.
Consumption of dietary fiber increases the weight and size of your stool and makes it easier to pass. If you are suffering from loose motion, dietary fibers solidify the stool by absorbing water and make it bulky.
2. Diabetes management
The diabetic patient suffers from either low sugar or high sugar contents in the blood. Dietary fiber, particularly soluble fiber helps in absorbing sugar and maintaining blood sugar levels.
3. Promotes Skin health
Fiber helps in reducing skin inflammation like acne and rashes by slowing inflammatory insulin. Smooth movement of excreta from the body also helps in promoting skin health.
4. Promotes Heart health
Fiber helps in lowering cholesterol levels by decreasing lipoprotein thereby promoting a healthy heart. Foods high in fiber also help in reducing blood pressure and increases good LDL cholesterol levels.
5. Body weight maintenance
Consumption of dietary fiber prevents obesity by reducing the accumulation of unhealthy fats in your body. Most of the fiber-rich foods can keep you full for a longer duration and supporting weight loss.
DISCLAIMER:
This article ‘20 Best Fiber-rich Foods‘ is intended for general information only. It does not address individual circumstances or is not a substitute for any professional advice. You are hereby advised to take concrete decisions after the following advice from medical or nutritionist professionals.
