Fiber is the non-digestible part of plant foods. When you think of foods high in protein, you may think of meat and cheese, which have significant amounts of protein. However, animal products contain saturated fat and they don't have fiber. To find foods high in protein and fiber you have to look to whole grains, legumes, seeds, nuts and vegetables, which offer healthy fiber, vitamins and minerals as well as protein. Eating a variety of these foods every day provides all the fiber and protein you need for a healthy diet.
Legumes
Beans, lentils and peas contain significant amounts of fiber, as well as protein. There are 29g of protein in 1 cup of cooked soybeans. Red beans, pinto beans and kidney beans are also significant sources of protein as well as containing 11 to 19g of fiber in 1 cup of cooked beans.
Whole Grains
Whole wheat, whole oats, brown rice, rye, barley and quinoa provide protein and significant amounts of fiber. Whole grains provide about 3g of protein per serving, a slice of whole grain bread or 1/2 cup of cooked grain, such as oatmeal, rice or bulgur, and about 3 to 6g of fiber.
Nuts and Seeds
Peanuts contain 6.5g of protein in 1 oz., as do sesame seeds. Pistachios contain 5.8g of protein and cashews 4.4g in a 1-oz. serving. Nuts contain 1 to 3g of fiber per 1 oz., in addition to healthy oils. Nuts are high in calories; limit yourself to 1 oz. of nuts and/or seeds per day.
Vegetables
Vegetables also contain protein as well as fiber, vitamins and minerals. In general, most vegetables don't contain significant protein. Avocado, broccoli, spinach, peas, asparagus and beets are good sources of fiber and protein. One avocado contains about 10g of protein. Most vegetables only contain about 1g of protein in a 3-oz. serving. If you eat five servings of vegetables a day you are consuming vital antioxidant vitamins and mineral, as well as a little protein and significant amounts of fiber.
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