Fiber is only found in plant foods, such as whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables. There are two main types of fiber--soluble and insoluble--and both play a role in maintaining good health, so it is important to eat a variety of high-fiber foods to get all the benefits. Most fiber foods contain both types of fiber but are higher in one or the other. Soluble fiber, the type found in greater abundance in oatmeal, barley nuts, legumes and citrus fruits, is associated with reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes. Insoluble fiber, the type found in whole-grain foods, vegetables and fruit skins, helps relieve constipation and keep the intestinal tract healthy.
Whole Grains
Whole grains and whole-grain products are much higher in fiber than processed grain products because whole grains retain the fibrous bran that is stripped off during the milling process. Whole grains include wheat berries, wheat bulgur and whole-grain pastas, cereals and baked good. According to Harvard School of Public Health, the fiber in wheat and oat bran is more effective at relieving constipation than the fiber in fruits and vegetables.
Legumes
Legumes include dried beans, such as black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, garbanzo beans and lima beans, lentils and split peas. The soluble fiber in legumes helps reduce blood levels of cholesterol and therefore may help reduce the risk of heart disease. One-half cup of cooked legumes contains 5 to 8g of fiber, which is a substantial contribution toward the recommended daily amount of 21 to 25g for women and 30 to 38g for men.
Fruits and Vegetables
All fruits and vegetables contain fiber, but some are better sources than others. Fruit that contains tiny edible seeds, such as raspberries with 8g of fiber per cup, and fruit eaten with the skin on, such as apples and pears that contain about 4 or 5g of fiber in a medium-size piece of fruit, supply more fiber in the diet than fruits with seeds and skin removed, such as bananas and oranges. One medium banana or orange, however, still contributes about 3g of fiber to the diet. One medium-size artichoke contains 10g of fiber but a 1-cup serving of most vegetables, including potatoes, cooked greens, broccoli, corn and peas, contains 3 to 5g of fiber.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts are often listed as fiber foods because they contain fiber, but it is in relatively small amounts for the usual quantity eaten. It takes a1 n ounce of nuts--the equivalent of 19 pecan halves, 23 almonds or 49 pistachio nuts--to get 3 to 4g of fiber. One-quarter cup of shelled sunflower seeds will also provide about 4g of fiber.
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