Eating a balanced, healthy diet not only aids the digestive system but also ensures that essential nutrients are available for absorption during digestion. As you choose food sources from all the food groups for daily menus, you can concentrate on getting enough dietary fiber every day to support your digestive health.
The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans reports that most diets have shortfalls of fiber. Both adults and children over age 4 should get an average of 25 g of fiber per day. Foods high in fiber may also provide the protein needed for digestive enzyme synthesis.
Dry Beans
Dry beans, lentils and peas satisfy a number of nutritional requirements for a healthy diet all at once. The large amounts of potassium and iron in these legumes contribute minerals that the USDA Dietary Guidelines target as nutrients of concern, along with dietary fiber for your digestive system.
Lentils, split peas, soybeans and black, kidney, pinto, navy and other dry beans satisfy all of these concerns, as well as provide a food source other than meat for protein. To stay within calorie boundaries and get as much as 75 percent of your daily fiber, according to the USDA Nutrient Database, stick to 1 cup of cooked beans per serving.
Vegetables and Fruits
The USDA reports that diets lacking fiber are usually low in vegetable, fruit and whole-grain food sources. Start moving toward a healthy diet by increasing your intake of green vegetables, such as artichokes, spinach and broccoli. One-cup portions of these veggies offer between 20 and 60 percent of daily fiber values, mostly the insoluble fiber known to aids digestive systems. All fruits contain fiber, but pears and berries deliver as much as 40 percent of your daily needs.
To increase the fiber content of your meals, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages eating two servings of vegetables at dinner. Pair a green vegetable such as Brussels sprouts or collard greens with just about any other vegetable, which will have some fiber. Choosing whole fruit over fruit juices provides a greater dietary fiber benefit.
Whole Grains
Like legumes, vegetables and fruits, whole-grain foods fulfill a number of your nutritional needs with few calories. Whole wheat, corn, barley, rice and oats are known as digestive system aids, especially in the form of bran cereals.
The USDA lists many ready-to-eat cereals along with cooked bulgur and buckwheat as foods that deliver 20 percent or more of daily fiber values. The CDC adds brown rice, couscous and popcorn as moderate-fiber foods suitable for a healthy diet.
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