Eating low-calorie, high fiber foods is beneficial for weight control or weight loss as well as maintaining heart and digestive health. These foods should be a diet staple. Examples of such foods include many fruits and vegetables, legumes, grains and other plant-based, whole foods. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a high-fiber food must provide at least 5g dietary fiber per serving.
Vegetables, Beans and Legumes
Vegetables and beans, in general, are low in calories and high in dietary fiber. The following choices provide 5g dietary fiber and less than 150 calories per 100-gram serving: artichokes, Brussels sprouts, acorn squash, broadbeans, green peas, parsnips, lima beans, cowpeas, succotash, edamame, refried beans, yams, broccoli, yellow and white beans, navy, kidney, pinto, black beans and lentils.
Soy products, such as veggie burgers and patties, breakfast patties, and textured vegetable protein (such as Boca Crumbles) all provide more than 5g dietary fiber and less than 140 calories per serving.
Fruits
Fruits are a bit higher in calories, in general, than vegetables because they contain natural sugars. The following choices provide 100 calories or less and at least 5g dietary fiber per large fruit: prickly pears, Asian and regular pears, Japanese persimmons, passion fruit, guavas, kumquats and pomagranates.
The following fruits provide 5g dietary fiber and 100 calories or less per 100-gram serving: blackberries, elderberries, gooseberries, cranberries, boysenberries, raspberries, wild blueberries, Logan berries, currants (red and white), prunes and breadfruit.
Cereals and Whole Grains
Some ready-to-eat bran cereals are very high in dietary fiber and low in caloires. A 1/3-cup serving of Kellogg's All-Bran (bran buds) provides 75 calories and 13g dietary fiber. Benefit Nutrition Simply Fiber cereal offers 100 calories and 14g dietary fiber per 1-cup serving. Kraft Post 100 percent Bran Cereal provides 83 calories and 8g dietary fiber per 1/3-cup serving. Certain varieities of high-fiber whole grain breads (depends upon the brand) offer fewer than 100 calories and 5g dietary fiber per slice.
Other whole grains are fiber-rich and calorie controlled. One cup of cooked bulgur provides 150 calories and 8g dietary fiber. A 3/4-cup serving (about 100g) of whole-wheat spaghetti and/or cooked, pearled barley provides about 124 calories and 5g dietary fiber.
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