Top 20 High Fiber Foods
We know dietary fiber best for its ability to relieve constipation as it is one of the most efficient ways of cleaning out our digestive system and keeping it in top working condition. But studies have shown that a high-fiber diet may also help our bodies fight diabetes and heart disease.
Dietary fiber comes in two types: soluble fiber helps lower blood cholesterol an glucose levels while insoluble fiber helps to move food through the digestive system and is good for constipation.
It is recommended that men consume 30 to 38 grams of fiber a day and women, 21 to 25 grams. However, it is good to also diversify the foods as much as possible between fruits, grains, cereals, legumes, nuts, seeds and vegetables. Here is a list of the top twenty high-fiber foods with their serving size and fiber content in grams:
1. Cooked split peas. 1- 16.3
2. Cooked lentils. 1-. 15.6
3. Cooked black beans. 1-. 15.0
4. Cooked Lima beans. 1-. 13.2
5. Canned, cooked baked beans. 1-. 10.4
6. Cooked artichoke. One medium. 10.3
7. Cooked peas. 1-. 8.8
8. Cooked whole wheat spaghetti. 1 cup. 6.2
9. Cooked pearled barley. 1-. 6.0
10. Pear with skin. 1 medium. 5.5
11. Bran flakes. 3/4 -. 5.3
12. Oat bran muffin. 1 medium. 5.2
13. Boiled broccoli. 1-. 5.1
14. Boiled turnip greens. 1-. 5.0
15. Cooked sweet corn. 1 -. 4.2
16. Cooked brussels sprouts. 1 -. 4.1
17. Cooked instant oat meal. 1 -. 4.0
18. Sunflower seed kernels. 1/4 -. 3.9
19. Cooked brown rice. 1 -. 3.5
20. Almonds. 1 serving (23 nuts). 3.5
Fiber Foods – Some Key Benefits
People all around the world suffer from the diseases of digestive system and extra weight and are desperate to deal with them. Most of them do not know that solution to all these problems lie in the totally natural fibrous foods. Fiber foods hold many advantages. Many diseases just start from the irregularity with the digestive system of a person. Usage of fiber foods makes the functionality of the digestive system very smooth. Fiber foods have the natural ability to dissolve water in them on their way in the digestive tract, this helps in the smooth excretion process of a person. The second main advantage of using the fiber food is that it helps a person to loose his weight. Many people take numerous supplements and take any possible measures to loose their weight but that goes in vain. A person can naturally loose weight without any side effects by adding fiber foods into their daily diet. It is also believed that fiber foods help in control of the diabetes. A person who takes fiber food in his diet feels more active and efficient in his daily life as fiber food, unlike sugar gives more energy to body.
Adding Fiber Foods to your Diet:
As mentioned above, fibrous foods hold so many advantages that it must be used on daily basis. It is not very difficult to add fibrous foods to one’s diet. Mainly fibrous food is found rich in vegetables, fruits, grains and nuts. In addition, many food recipes should be prepared by mixing the fibrous foods in them. Many fibrous foods can even be adopting by replacing the other diets. Some other things should also be kept under consideration to achieve the daily goal of having the fiber in food. For example, apple’s skin should not be peeled off before eating as it is highly rich in fiber. There are cereals and shakes available in the market, which are highly rich in fiber. Further more there are many other ways of adding fiber to your diet without even feeling much change. A research can also be conducted over the internet to find more resources of fiber food.
Fiber Foods: The Final Word
With knowing all the benefits of fibrous foods and simplicity of its use, it is strongly recommended to add the fibrous foods in the daily diet. Where this can keep many people healthy, it can also help in curing many diseases like diabetes and it also help in loosing weight.
What Is Fiber in Food?
Are you getting enough fiber? It’s recommended you do, because fiber is an immensely important component in aiding digestion. So what is fiber? To put it simply, fiber is a complex carbohydrate as opposed to a simple carbohydrate. When you eat complex carbohydrates or foods rich in fiber, the release of sugar to the bloodstream is constant instead of excessive. It’s recommended many individuals with diabetes eat a high fiber diet because the constant release of sugar is ideal and helps to not agitate insulin resistance. Diabetes patient or not, simple carbohydrates such as potatoes, white bread, white pasta, creams and soft drinks should be avoided.
In order to avoid simple carbohydrates, you should look for foods where sugars, starches and fibers occur naturally. For instance, sugars occur naturally in fruits, vegetables, milk and milk products. Starches can be found naturally in vegetables, grains, beans and peas. Natural fibers are predominantly found in fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains. This is a general categorization but it means you can still have the foods you love and be fiber-friendly.
For example, you can make spaghetti using whole grain/wheat pasta and natural tomato sauce. For breakfast, try oatmeal with fresh raspberries or another fruit. Try a fresh garden salad with lots of veggies, kidney beans and hummus for an excellent fiber boost!
It’s important to note that high fiber-foods are often organic foods, because the sugars and starches are occurring naturally, as opposed to being added. As always, natural foods without additives and preservatives are healthier for you. Additionally, foods high in fiber are also recommended prior to a colonoscopy because fiber rich foods move easily through the digestive tract, which helps it function properly. Furthermore, with a fiber diet you may experience increased energy and even achieve weight loss.
But before starting any drastic change in your diet, check with your health care provider for additional support and advice. Women should try to eat at least 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day, while men should try to get around 30 to 38 grams. Much like counting calories, you can calculate your fiber intake to ensure you are getting the right amount.
However, if you eat too much fiber it can have adverse effects on your digestive system. As always, if you are concerned about getting the correct amount of fiber for your body type, see a nutritionist or your doctor before starting a fiber rich diet.