Consuming a diet high in dietary fiber helps to move waste products quickly and relatively easily through your digestive tract and promotes proper function of the digestive system. Other benefits of a fiber-rich diet include reducing your risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes. According to MayoClinic.com, women should aim to consume 21g to 25g daily and men; 30g to 38g per day. Dietary fiber is found in plant foods.
Fruits
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library database, raw Asian pears are high in dietary fiber. One medium-sized pear offers 4.4g of dietary fiber. Berries are a category of fruit which is particularly high in dietary fiber. One cup of blackberries, raw, provides a whopping 7.6g and one cup of raw raspberries, 8g. Dried fruit, such as figs, is another fiber-rich choice. A 1/2-cup stewed prunes, fruit and liquid, provides 8.2g, and two dried figs offers approximately 4.8g of dietary fiber. One whole mango, without skin, provides 3.7g of dietary fiber. One cup of orange sections, without membranes, provides 4.3g dietary fiber.
Vegetables
Vegetables, particularly starchy beans, are very high in dietary fiber. According to MayoClinic.com, one cup of cooked split peas provides 16g of dietary fiber and the same amount of cooked lentils, 15.6g. Black and lima beans are fiber-rich, offering 15g and 13.2g of dietary fiber per cup cooked, respectively. One cup of canned vegetarian baked beans offers 10.4g of dietary fiber. Many other vegetables are fiber-rich, such as artichokes. One medium-sized artichoke, cooked, offers over 10g of dietary fiber while 1 cup of cooked green peas provides 8.8g. A 1 cup serving of either cooked broccoli or turnip greens provides roughly 5g of dietary fiber.
Whole Grain Foods
Whole grains are another group of nutrient-rich, high fiber food source. One cup of cooked pearled barley, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library database, offers 6g of dietary fiber. Whole rye or whole-wheat bread offers, on average, 2.8g of dietary fiber per 1 oz. slice. One cup of regular oatmeal, cooked, provides 4g of dietary fiber. A 3/4-cup portion of ready-to-eat bran flakes provides, on average, 4.6g of dietary fiber. One cup of bulgur, cooked, offers 8.2g. One cup of cooked brown rice or 3 cups of popcorn each provide approximately 3.5g of dietary fiber.
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