Fiber is an important nutrient that the typical American diet is often lacking. It is a type of carbohydrate that your body cannot digest. Women should eat at least 20g and men should eat at least 30g of fiber each day. MayoClinic.com and the Harvard School of Public Health report that fiber can help lower your cholesterol, risk of heart disease and diabetes. If you want to increase your fiber consumption, you should become familiar with the foods and fruit juices that are rich in fiber.
Whole Grains
Whole grain foods are rich in fiber, but processing them removes the layers of the grain that contain most of the fiber, iron and B vitamins. Grain products contain fiber as well and, according to Harvard School of Public Health, those with 3g of fiber or more are most beneficial. Whole grain foods such as rice, corn, wheat, oats, oatmeal, oat bran, barley, rye, brown rice, whole-corn meal, whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, popcorn, couscous and whole-wheat bread are good sources of fiber. Whole grain products like oat-bran muffins and whole-wheat pancakes are good options as well.
Legumes, Seeds and Nuts
Legumes are rich sources of fiber in the diet, and they also provide a lot of protein and other nutrients. All beans, including pinto beans, lima beans, kidney beans and black beans, are rich sources of fiber, as are lentils, peas, alfalfa and soy. Seeds and nuts like sunflower seeds, peanuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds and pecans are good sources of fiber as well.
Vegetables
Most green vegetables are rich in fiber. Vegetables that are rich in fiber include artichokes, broccoli, peas, Brussels sprouts, potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnip greens, corn, yams and spinach. Mayo Clinic notes that artichokes are very high sources of fiber.
Fruits and Fruit Juices
Fruits are also very good sources of fiber and contain insoluble fiber that mainly helps in regulation of bowel movements and colon health. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, fruits are better sources of fiber than fruit juices because a lot of fiber is lost in the process of extracting the juice. It is best to consume whole fruits rather than canned fruits or fruit juices without pulp. Fruits that are good sources of fiber include raspberries, plums, blueberries, apples,
strawberries, pears, figs, bananas and oranges. Ideally, if you want to make fruit juice, toss whole fruits in a blender and make a smoothie so the fiber content is not compromised.
References
- Harvard School of Public Health: Fiber: What Should You Eat?
- Harvard School of Public Health: Fiber: Start Roughing It!
- American Heart Association: Whole Grains and Fiber
- Mayo Clinic: Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet
- Mayo Clinic: Fiber Supplements: Are They Safe to Take Every Day?
- Continuum Health Partners: Fiber Content Chart
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