Foods in the vegetables food group provide some of the widest nutrient variety and the highest fiber of all plant-based foods. Dietary fiber is a type of carbohydrate that improves your heart and digestive health. Consuming fiber in your diet every day can prevent cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes, as well as obesity and its related health problems. Consuming a variety of vegetables, along with grains and fruits, will help you achieve the 25 g of dietary fiber intake recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Legumes
Legumes such as beans, lentils, split peas, soybeans and black-eyed peas deliver the greatest fiber in the vegetable food group. One cup of these cooked legumes contains 8 to 19 g of dietary fiber. Pinto, black, kidney and lima beans, and entrees such as pork and beans, are fiber-rich foods that also offer high protein and potassium. Roasted peanuts and peanut butter provide only 1 to 2 g of protein per 1 oz.
Dark Green Vegetables
The FDA considers foods with 5 g or more high in fiber, a feature of many dark, leafy green vegetables. Artichokes are extremely fibrous edible parts of the artichoke plant, which contain as much as 14 g, or about 60 percent daily value, of fiber in 1 cup. Brussels sprouts, collards, spinach and turnip greens all have 5 to 7 g of fiber per cup. Be sure to cook them to get higher content than their raw forms provide. Vegetables with lighter green flesh, such as green beans and zucchini, have lower fiber ratios.
Orange Vegetables
Orange vegetables impart greater fiber than red or yellow vegetables. With carrots, as with leafy greens, cooking condenses and increases the quantity of dietary fiber. Carrots have 5 g of fiber per cooked cup, with the same serving of sweet potatoes, winter squash and pumpkin contributing as much as 7 g of fiber to your daily totals.
Starchy and Cruciferous Vegetables
In addition to legumes, other starchy and cruciferous vegetables deliver large amounts of dietary fiber in cooked form. One-cup servings of green peas, broccoli and cauliflower all have high fiber content. One cup of cooked corn or whole baked potatoes offers 4 to 5 g of fiber per serving.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010; December 2010
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Recommended Daily Values for Nutrients; May 2011
- FDA; Choosing Healthful Foods Using the Nutrition Facts on the Food Label; January 2011
- USDA: National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
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