The fiber in your diet comes from plant-based foods including vegetables, fruits and grains. There are two types of dietary fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber comes from the inside of plant cells, and binds with bile acids in your intestines to help control blood glucose and cholesterol levels. By planning ahead, buying high-fiber foods and choosing menu items carefully, you can obtain 10 to 25 mg of soluble fiber each day.
Breakfast
The next time you're at the grocery store, read the labels on traditional breakfast foods, including hot cereals, ready-to-eat cereals and breads. Look for raisin and bran cereals that contain 0.9 g of soluble fiber in a ¾-cup serving, hot oat bran cereals that contain 2.2 g of soluble fiber in a ¾-cup portion or whole-wheat bread that delivers 0.3 g of soluble fiber in a single slice. Try creative alternatives, such as 1/2 cup of cooked barley that packs 0.8 g of soluble fiber, or a 1/2-cup portion of whole-wheat spaghetti that has 0.6 g. Eat a side dish of 4 small unpeeled apricots or a small orange for 1.8 g of soluble fiber.
Snacks
When you eat a high-fiber breakfast, you stay full longer and do a better job of controlling your appetite. Instead of grabbing the nearest fast food for a mid-morning snack, plan ahead by packing a medium unpeeled apple or peach that delivers 1 g of soluble fiber. A single raw carrot contains 1.1 g of soluble fiber, while a 1/2-cup serving of cooked sweet potato has 1.8 g. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flax seeds on low-fat yogurt for an added 1.1 g of soluble fiber.
Lunch
Think salads at lunch time for a low-calorie meal that's packed with soluble fiber, vitamins and minerals. A tossed salad with 1/2-cup spinach, 1/4-cup sliced carrots, 1/4-cup of green peas and 1/4-cup of chopped cauliflower provides 1.9 g of soluble fiber. A fruit salad made with a medium grapefruit or orange, 1/4 cup of chopped prunes and 1/2 cup of blackberries has a total of 4.5 g of soluble fiber. If you're aiming for 10 g of soluble fiber, the fruit salad takes you 45 percent of the way toward your goal. It also provides 18 percent if you're aiming for 25 g of soluble fiber.
Dinner
Dinner offers an opportunity to address any gaps in your daily fiber intake. In late afternoon, use an online soluble fiber calculator, such as the one hosted by GlobalRPh.com, to determine how much soluble fiber you've already consumed during the day. Consider the fiber content of various dinner menus, and choose one that addresses the gap. Animal-based products, including meat, dairy, fish and poultry, don't contain any fiber. However, pinto and black beans pack 2 g of soluble fiber in a 1/2-cup portion and brown rice has 0.4 g in a 1/2-cup serving. Eating a medium baked potato, skin and all, adds 1 g of soluble fiber, as does a 1/2-cup portion of broccoli. Brussels sprouts, which contain 2 g of soluble fiber in 1/2 cup, can help your reach your soluble fiber goal.
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