The dietary fiber in food you consume improves your digestive quality and blood cholesterol ratios, unless you have an existing inflammatory bowel condition. Fiber passes through your body without being digested, encouraging the efficient movement of other food substances through the digestive tract. This helps to prevent or ease conditions of constipation. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers foods with 20 percent or more of the recommended daily 25 g of fiber high in content. Consult your doctor before changing your fiber intake.
Significance
Even if you enjoy regular digestion, fiber can contribute to better long-term health. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, diets that include adequate fiber are associated with a decreased risk for stroke, cancer and heart attack. These diets also tend to be lower in fat, which further improves your cardiovascular outlook and ability to maintain a healthy weight. You can use high-fiber foods to achieve your daily fiber totals and control your weight or to treat constipation on your doctor's advice.
High Fiber
Fiber content of 5 to 6 g per 1-cup serving is found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Foods to eat in this category include baked sweet potatoes eaten with their skin and cooked carrots, cauliflower, broccoli and winter squash. Leafy greens such as turnip and collard greens have dense fiber content. Fresh domestic pears and raisins represent high-fiber fruits. Cooked oat bran, buckwheat groats, barley and whole-wheat spaghetti or similar pasta provide plentiful fiber from grain sources.
Higher Fiber
Greater amounts of fiber between 7 and 10 g per 1 cup are found in additional fresh and some processed food sources. Sauerkraut, for example, contains much more fiber than raw cabbage's 2 g per serving due to the nutrient concentration that takes place in fermentation and processing. Cooked spinach, green peas, raspberries and Asian pears are higher in fiber than most other vegetables. Some brands of ready-to-eat cereal have natural or fortified contents of fiber in this quantity range, as per the claims on their package labels.
Highest Fiber
Foods with fiber content of 11 g and up per 1-cup serving provide big boosts toward your daily totals. The majority of these items come from the legume family of vegetables, which includes dry beans and peas. Lima beans, black-eyed peas and varieties of white, red and black beans represent these high-fiber foods. You'll find artichokes, with 14 g of fiber, and lentils and split peas, with 16 g, among the foods with the highest fiber of all.
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Recommended Daily Values for Nutrients; May 2011
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
- American Heart Association; Whole Grains and Fiber; 2011
- MedlinePlus: High-Fiber Foods; November 2010
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: National Nutrient Database
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