Fiber is good for your health. Dietary fiber is good for the digestive system, aids in dieting and lowers blood cholesterol levels, according to MayoClinic.com. Dietary fiber can be gained from fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The wide assortment of choices in high-fiber foods helps wake up your taste buds and adds variety to your diet.
Daily Fiber Recommendations
The best source of fiber is from fresh foods. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains and cereals are all high in fiber. Besides getting the benefits of fiber, you also get the vitamins and nutrients of the foods. The daily recommended amount of fiber is different for men and women. Women should try to get at least 21 to 25 g of fiber each day. Men need 30 to 38 g of fiber per day, according to MayoClinic.com.
Soluble Fiber
There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in the digestive system with water and forms a gel-like material. This type of fiber can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels.
Soluble fiber foods include apples with 4.4 g of fiber per apple, oranges with 3.1 g per orange, raspberries with a whopping 8 g per cup, strawberries with 3.8 g per 1 1/2 cups, two dried figs have 1.6 g, a banana has 3.1 g, blackberries have 7.6 g per cup and two dates have 4 g of fiber.
High-soluble fiber grains include oatmeal with 4 g per cup and cooked barley with 6 g per cup. Legumes are another source of soluble fiber. Split peas have 8.2 g of fiber per 1/2 cup, chick peas with 6.3 g per 1/2 cup, navy beans with 9.6 g per 1/2 cup, lima beans with 5.8 g per 1/2 cup and cooked kidney beans with 8.2 g per 1/2 cup.
Vegetables are a good source of soluble and insoluble fiber. Some vegetables that are on the soluble fiber list include carrots with 2 g of fiber each, beets with 1.5 g per 1/2 cup, peas with 8.8 g per cup and broccoli with 5.1 g per cup.
Insoluble Fiber
Insoluble fiber is roughage that helps food move through the digestive system. It is not digested and increases stool bulk, which is an aid to people who frequently suffer from constipation, according to MayoClinic.com.
Insoluble fiber includes grains, fruits and vegetables. Insoluble fiber foods include All Bran cereal with 13.2 grams of fiber per 3/4 cup, Cornflakes with 21 g per 3/4 cup, Grapenuts come in at 7.5 g per 3/4 cup, whole wheat pasta with 3.6 g per 3 cups, almonds with 3.5 g per 23 nuts, pistachio nuts with 2.9 g per 49 nuts, pecans with 2.7 g per 19 halves and sunflower seeds with 3.9 g per 1/4 cup.
Insoluble veggies include corn with 2.1 g per cup of kernels, brown rice with 3.5 g per cup, air-popped popcorn with 3.5 g per 3 cups, lentils with 7 g per 1/2 cup, beet root with 5.4 g, parsnips with 4 g per cup and okra with 3.1 g per 1/2 cup.
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