Everywhere you look, you’re being told to get more fiber. It's important for your heart health. It helps digestion. And it may even improve your sleep. The problem: Eating beans at every meal gets boring fast.
But the truth is, there is far more to this nutrient than the uh, musical fruit. That's why we asked Jessica Crandall, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, to help us put together a rolling list of the yummiest high-fiber foods.
The goal, she says, should be for us all to get 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day. If that sounds like overload, don’t freak out — we put together a list of the best fiber-rich foods (and how to incorporate them into your diet) to keep your gut health in check. Click through to check it out.
Passion Fruit
Not only does passion fruit contain a healthy dose of fiber, it also comes packed with high water content, both of which work to keep you from feeling constipated. Plus, passion fruit also has a ton of vitamin C, which helps keep your immune system fit and fighting.
Passion fruit is best enjoyed as a fruit by itself (don’t forget that the seeds are edible, too), but you can also scoop its pulp and seeds to add to a fruit salad.
Illustrated by: Abbie Winters
Whole Wheat Bread
Just one slice of whole wheat bread contains 3 grams of fiber, so go ahead and order toast with your brunch. Not only that, you'll also up your intake of whole grains, another thing we apparently don't eat enough of. Two birds, one stone.
Illustrated by: Abbie Winters
Avocado
Pile your avocado on that toast, because a cup of sliced-up avocado will get you a good 10 grams of fiber.
The fruits are also a great source of potassium and monounsaturated fatty acids. Other than avocado toast, you can add them to a salad to make it more filling, or, of course, mash them into guacamole.
Illustrated by: Abbie Winters
Raspberries
Berries in general are a great source of fiber, but raspberries themselves contain eight grams of fiber per serving (one cup).
The good news? They’re relatively easy to include into all types of meals. You can toss them into your morning yogurt, throw them into a salad, or just snack on them throughout the day.
Illustrated by: Abbie Winters
Apples
Another fruit that contains a good amount of fiber: apples. One medium apple (with skin) contains about 4.4 grams of fiber.
Slice them up and eat them with peanut butter, or even bake them into a dessert. Either way, an apple a day really might keep the doctor away.
Illustrated by: Abbie Winters
Almonds
If you’re the kind of person who can’t have just one Jordan almond, we have great news for you: In addition to being full of omega-3 fatty acids (good fats!) and vitamin E, almonds are also full of fiber. An ounce of them (about 23 nuts) contains about 3.5 grams of fiber.
As for getting them into your meals, we’ve got you covered.
Illustrated by: Abbie Winters
Potatoes
Trying to get fiber into your diet doesn’t have to be a chore. All hail the potato, possibly one of the most versatile food items out there. You can have potatoes baked, mashed, boiled, fried (a general favorite), or roasted.
Just one small baked potato (with skin) will get you 2.9 grams of fiber.
Illustrated by: Abbie Winters
Brown rice
Just like potatoes, brown rice is a great staple food that goes great on the side of almost anything, and will get you a good amount of fiber. Just one cup contains 3.5 grams of fiber, so a serving a day coupled with some of the other snacks we’ve listed should up your chances of reaching about 30 grams of fiber per day.
Illustrated by: Abbie Winters
Split Peas
They may not seem like much, but one cup of boiled split peas contains 16.3 grams of fiber, making them a nutrient-rich addition to your meals.
Add them on your salad or make split pea soup to up your intake.
Illustrated by: Abbie Winters
Whole Wheat Spaghetti
Pasta lovers, rejoice: Trying to eat more fiber doesn’t have to mean cutting out your favorite meals. One cup of cooked whole wheat spaghetti will get you 6.3 grams of fiber.
It’s a good thing spaghetti is so versatile (and easy!). Eat it with marinara, alfredo, pesto — the choice is yours. Add some roasted vegetables or meatballs, and peppers to spice up your meal.
Illustrated by: Abbie Winters
Pears
With 5.5 grams of fiber in one medium pear, this is another amazingly fiber-full fruit. They’re delicious on their own as a snack, but you can also slice them up and put them on peanut-buttered toast or make a fruity pear salad (they go great with arugula).
Alternatively, make a yogurt pear-fait by putting diced pears at the bottom of a cup and filling it up with layers of vanilla yogurt and oats.
Illustrated by: Abbie Winters
Chia Seeds
Not only do chia seeds have 10 grams of fiber per ounce, they also contain omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, protein, and calcium. Superfood indeed.
They’re incredibly versatile and easy to include in your diet —add them to acai bowls, oatmeal, you name it.
Illustrated by: Abbie Winters
Black Beans
One cup of black beans will give you a whopping 29 grams of fiber as well as 39 grams of protein. Beyond the traditional black bean soup, add them to a quinoa bowl, a salad, or a baked sweet potato.
Illustrated by: Abbie Winters
Barley
If you're looking to mix up your meals a little, barley is a great alternative to rice, and with 32 grams of fiber per cup, it will be sure to give you a solid start on your daily intake.
Plus, barley goes with pretty much everything, so go ahead and use it as a base for your meals.
Illustrated by: Abbie Winters
Tomato Paste
Believe it or not, a can of tomato paste gets you a decent seven grams of fiber.
Of course, we're not suggesting you drown everything you eat in tomato paste, but it's a good thing to consider when you're making pasta sauce or salsa dip.
Illustrated by: Abbie Winters
Edamame
Go ahead and order an extra appetizer at the sushi restaurant — a cup of edamame will get you eight grams of fiber. The soybeans make for a great snack on their own, but they also work well tossed into a salad, or mixed up in a stir-fry dish.
Illustrated by: Abbie WintersLike what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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