Fiber is important and must be included in our daily foods in proportion.
According to some scientific research, dietary fiber intake is essential for preventing constipation. It helps in preventing and healing hemorrhoids and diverticulosis.
Recent research indicates that foods high in fiber can help decrease blood sugar and LDL cholesterol, prevent certain types of cancer, and help in weight loss.
Studies show that people who eat sufficient fiber-rich foods are very healthy. They have decreased possibilities of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity and live longer.
What Is Dietary Fiber?
Fiber is, perhaps, the least understood nutrient by most people.
Fiber is a carbohydrate that the human digestive system cannot digest. Our body needs it but never actually digests it.
Most foods, especially those from plant sources, have some amount of fiber naturally.
Different dietary fiber types include cellulose, hemicellulose, gum, pectin mucilage, lignin, and soluble fiber. All of them are beneficial to health.
The soluble fibers are those that dissolve in liquid, and they usually become a gel-like substance that the body cannot absorb. It has a very powerful effect on metabolism and healthy bowel functioning.
The soluble fiber becomes the food of the friendly gut bacteria that help in the body’s metabolic processes.
Insoluble fiber is the soft, bulky roughage in the food that remains the same (unchanged) throughout the process of digestion. It makes the waste heavier and softer to prevent indigestion.
How Much Dietary Fiber Per Day?
As per the recommendation of The Institute of Medicine (IOM), the dietary fiber intake for men under 50 need 38 grams of fiber each day, and women should consume 25 grams. Adults over 50 require less fiber (30 grams for dudes and 21 grams for ladies) as they usually eat fewer foods than younger people.
Most food surveys have shown that most Americans eat around half of the recommended amount of dietary fiber, as low as 15-17 grams of fiber per day.
Due to a lack of eating foods high in fiber, many persons experience severe constipation; and even hemorrhoids in some.
Fiber is also essential for slowing digestion and achieving faster satiety that suppresses the appetite.
Excess fiber intake can also cause negative impacts on health, such as faster rushing down of foods through the intestines that reduce the absorption rate of essential vitamins and nutrients by the body. Eating too many foods high in fiber can result in bloating, cramping, and gastric.
15 Common Foods With High Fiber Content
Keep reading more to learn about the 15 delicious and common foods that we have chosen as the best high-fiber foods for you.
1. Chia Seeds (34.4%)
Chia seeds are considered a superfood that has several health benefits. These tiny black seeds contain 34.4 grams of fiber per 100 grams.
It is, perhaps, the best and highest fiber-rich, healthy food in the world.
Chia seed is also highly valuable to health as it contains a lot of magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium.
2. Bran Flakes (18%)
Bran Flakes are very delicious and healthy. It contains about 18 grams of fiber per 100 grams of bran flakes.
It is also rich in natural protein and several essential vitamins and minerals.
You can make a delicious shake with bran flakes together with other ingredients like vanilla, honey, and yogurt smoothie
3. Black Beans (16%)
Black beans are really tasty, and about 16% of these beans are fiber. This is a protein and fiber-rich, healthy food.
4. Pearled Barley (16%)
Every 100 grams of pearled barley has about 16 grams of fiber.
The barley grain is nutritious and contains more fiber than brown rice and oatmeal.
Barley can be used to prepare bread, muffin, barley flakes, salad, soup, etc.
5. Popcorn (14.5%)
If you are looking for a snack food with fiber, popcorn is the best.
Every 100 grams of air-popped popcorn has about 14.5 grams of fiber.
Popcorn also has a healthy balance of calories, provided butter or other fat is minimized to as little as possible.
6. Almonds (12.5%)
The most popularly used tree nut is the almond. This nut has a good amount of fiber and several nutrients for health.
It is a good source of manganese, magnesium, vitamin E, and healthy fats.
The fiber content in almonds is 12.5 grams per 100 grams.
7. Dark Chocolate (10.9%)
One most delicious and healthiest food in the world is dark Chocolate.
The antioxidants and nutrients contained in dark Chocolate make it beneficial to health.
A 100-gram dark chocolate bar has about 10.9 grams of soluble fiber.
While choosing dark Chocolate, make sure that its cocoa content is above 75% and the least amount of added sugar in it.
8. Oats (10.6%)
Oats meal is one of the most favorite breakfast items for many people. Many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants contained in Oats make them the best grain food for you.
Another little-known health benefits of oats meal come from the soluble fiber called beta-glucan that is contained in it. Beta-glucan fiber is exceptionally good for managing healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
When you have 100 grams of oats meals, your body will be receiving about 10.6 grams of fiber; most of it is the beneficial beta-glucan fiber.
9. Pumpkin Seeds And Other Nuts
When you eat nuts or seeds, your body gets significant natural fiber. Among all seeds, the Chia and Pumpkin seeds have the highest fiber content.
The pumpkin seeds contain 18.4 % fiber, pistachios: 10%, Coconut: 9%, sunflower seeds: 8.6% and walnuts: 7%.
Eating about 30 to 50 grams of nuts and seeds daily is good as they provide the body with many vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
10. Split Peas (8.3%)
Split peas are rich in several nutrients and fiber. The fiber content in split peas is 8.3% per 100 grams.
Split peas are made from dried, split, and peeled peas seeds.
11. Lentils (8%)
The lentil is an edible pulse. It is a bushy annual legume family plant known for its lens-shaped seeds.
Every 100 grams of lentil pulse contain 8% of fiber. It is also a good source of copper, phosphorus, manganese, iron, protein, vitamin B1, pantothenic acid, zinc, and potassium.
Lentil, with its meatier taste, is the most versatile among the many legumes as it fits well into several recipes
12. Chickpeas (7.6%)
Chickpeas are another healthy legume loaded with fiber, nutrients, vitamins, and protein.
This legume contains about 7.6% of fiber per 100 grams.
13. Lima Beans (7%)
Lima beans are an excellent source of molybdenum. This variety of legume seeds is also a good source of dietary fiber, copper, manganese, and other vitamins and minerals.
Every 100 grams of Lima beans contain 7% of healthy fiber.
Lima beans taste great when cooked in bacon fat, with leeks, or mashed into soups.
14. Raspberries (7%)
Raspberries are the third most popular berry, followed right by strawberries and blueberries. They are nature’s candy.
Raspberries are rich sources of dietary fiber, potassium, and Vitamin C; they also contain several other vitamins and minerals in some amount.
Every 100 grams of raw raspberry contains 7% of dietary fiber.
15. Avocados (7%)
Avocado is one of the healthiest fruits, with many healthy fats and very low in carbohydrates.
This fruit is also very healthy and nutritious, with Vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, Vitamin E, and various B-Vitamins
The dietary fiber content in Avocado fruits is 6.7 grams per 100 grams.
Avocado fruits are delicious and can be well integrated into salads and smoothies.
How To Remedy The Shortage Of Fiber In Diet?
Consuming about 25 to 35 grams of dietary fiber daily is essential for good health.
Several food surveys have shown a severe shortage of fiber in the daily foods generally consumed by most people.
Here are a few simple tips for increasing the intake of dietary fiber:
- Include oats and chia seeds in your daily diet
- Eat 30 grams of nuts and seeds every day
- Include leafy vegetables and legumes in your daily food
- Eat 30 grams of dark chocolate per day
- Eat mostly whole-grain foods instead of the processed foods
- Have popcorn or nuts for a snack.