What Are The Flat Stomach Vegetables?

Consuming fiber on a daily basis is crucial for developing a flat stomach and abs. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are excellent sources of fiber; they contain other health benefits as well. However, the fiber content in vegetables varies. For example, tomatoes, lettuce, zucchini and cucumbers only have one gram of fiber. It's important to identify and select the right foods.

Fiber

To help firm stomach muscles and abs, eat a minimum of 25 grams of fiber each day for optimal health. As an added bonus, fiber also lowers the risk of both diabetes and heart disease. A high-fiber vegetable contains 5 grams or more of fiber per serving; vegetables with 2.5 to 4.9 grams per serving are considered good sources of fiber.

High-Fiber Vegetables

Split peas and lentils lead the list of high-fiber vegetables with 16.3 grams and 15.6 grams, respectively. At 10 grams each, baked beans and artichokes also have very high fiber content levels. Other vegetables high in fiber include broccoli, green beans, sweet corn and winter squash; they range from 3.9 grams to 5.1 grams of fiber per serving.

One of the Superfoods

The sweet potato is another vegetable rich in fiber. Lara Rosenbaum, in her article, "12 Foods for a Flat Belly," endorses the sweet potato as "one of the 12 healthy superfoods that will help to produce a lean stomach with tight abs." As the only vegetable on the list, the sweet potato also reduces hunger by making you feel full for a considerable amount of time.

In the Top 10

"Fitness Magazine" lists 10 foods to flatten your abs and control belly bloating. Soybeans are one of the vegetables listed; they can be consumed in a variety of ways, ranging from eating dry-roasted soybeans to steamed edamame. Leafy greens such as spinach and arugula are also on the list; they are low in calories, which helps shrink your waistline.

Other Considerations

To avoid gas, fiber should be slowly added to your diet. Spread out your fiber consumption over the course of many meals, instead of trying to reach the 25-gram minimum in one sitting. Drinking water is also important to keep the fiber moving through your body; it also flushes sodium out of your body, which reduces bloating.