The Harvard School of Public Health notes that not only can high-fiber fruits help you with quality-of-life problems like gas, bloating and weight gain, but they may protect you from serious illness. The school cites research linking optimal fiber intake with a lower risk of heart disease, colon cancer and type 2 diabetes. Yet it may be difficult to determine exactly what foods to eat. Many fruits prove good sources of vitamins and minerals, but also help you raise your fiber count.
The Winner?
Opinions vary on the ultimate fruit champ in the fiber-count Olympics. The United States Department of Agriculture's nutrient database for fiber lists dates as the highest fiber fruit. But dates aren't even on the radar of some medical web sites, including MayoClinic.com and the Harvard School of Public Health. MayoClinic.com has raspberries as its top pick, while Harvard endorses apples, pears and berries.
The Stats
According to the USDA, dates boast a fiber content of 14.2 g per cup, while raspberries come in second place with 8 g per cup for fresh fruit and 11 g for frozen. MayoClinic.com also lists raspberry's fiber content at 8 g per cup, although it doesn't give a count for the frozen variety.
Also-Rans
Of course, the actual counts matter less than the fact that any of the frequently mentioned high-fiber fruits make good additions to your diet. MayoClinic.com's top eight fiber-rich fruits, in descending order, are raspberries, pears, apples, strawberries, bananas, oranges, figs and raisins. The USDA's top eight are dates, frozen raspberries, Asian pears, fresh raspberries, prunes, blackberries, raisins and papayas.
Characteristics
In general, the fruits with the highest fiber counts are uncooked and feature edible skins, seeds or pulp. The exception to the fresh fruit rule involves dried fruits. Dried fruits boast a high-fiber count because the water content is removed, concentrating the fiber and nutrient amounts. If you need to boost your fiber intake, eat fresh fruits with their skin on whenever possible. A fresh unpeeled apple, for example, contains 3.3 g of fiber, while the equivalent amount of applesauce contains about 1.3 g of fiber. A cup of apple juice delivers only .5 g of fiber. Juices and cooked fruits have less fiber because heating and processing fruits reduces their fiber content, as does removing their skins, notes the American Heart Association.
Daily Intake
The Harvard School of Public Health suggests eating at least 20 g of fiber each day. Yet most Americans consume about 15 g. The fiber recommendations depend on the amount of calories consumed. People who need more calories, including teens and men, should take in between 30 and 35 g of fiber.
Considerations
Fiber counts for fruit can vary depending on the cultivar of fruit being analyzed. Raspberry or raisin cultivars with a higher seed content and thicker skin, for example, would contain more fiber than fruits with less of the fiber-rich fruit parts.
Alternatives
Aside from fruits, good high-fiber choices include whole grains, vegetables and legumes. Good choices within those subgroups include wheat bread and pastas, brown rice, oatmeal, sunflower seeds, zucchini, nuts and tomatoes.
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