A noted poet commented, "The first wealth is health". Though most of us agree with the fact, it is also true that we rarely follow any fixed diet plan. Our daily diet must be adequate with all the nutrients required by the body for its proper functioning.
What is Fiber?
Fiber is the key to proper digestion, and aids in cleansing of the stomach and intestines. Foods rich in fiber mainly consist of the indigestible carbohydrates, most of which do not get absorbed by the body, and carry waste along with them while leaving the body. Before you get on with the fiber rich foods list, here is something more about the incomparable fiber.
It is interesting to know that, though it is made of carbohydrates, fiber actually aids in weight loss. It gives you a sense of fullness which encourages you to eat less. It also carries out the unwanted fat along with it, which would have got absorbed in the body otherwise. Doctors believe that the digestive system becomes lazy without enough roughage, and it can lead to various complications like diseases of the bowel, rectum, etc. Fiber rich foods are a blessing if in case you are suffering from constipation. However, there are two sides of a coin. Excess of anything is bad, and so it applies to fiber as well. A healthy diet according to age and weight must be followed. A high fiber diet plan mainly consists of well distributed servings of fruits, vegetables, nuts and cereals. Here's a list of foods that are high in fiber.
Fiber Rich Foods
Fruits
| Fruit |
Serving |
Fiber Content |
| Apple |
1 medium |
3.3 grams |
| Apricot |
1 medium |
0.7 grams |
| Avocado |
1 medium |
4.3 grams |
| Banana |
1 medium |
3.0 grams |
| Blackberries |
1 cup |
7.6 grams |
| Blueberries |
1 cup |
4.0 grams |
| Boysenberries |
1 cup |
7.0 grams |
| Breadfruit |
1 cup |
11.0 grams |
| Cantaloupe |
1 cup |
1.6 grams |
| Currants |
1 cup |
5.0 grams |
| Figs |
1/2 cup |
8.0 grams |
| Gooseberries |
1 cup |
6.0 grams |
| Grapefruit |
1/2 medium |
1.4 grams |
| Guava |
1 cup |
8.9 grams |
| Kiwi |
1 medium |
0.6 grams |
| Mango |
1 cup |
3.0 grams |
| Orange |
1 large |
4.4 grams |
| Papaya |
1 cup cubed |
2.5 grams |
| Peaches |
1/3 cup |
2.9 grams |
| Pear |
1 large |
6.5 grams |
| Prunes |
1/2 cup |
6.0 grams |
| Raisins |
2 ounces |
2.0 grams |
| Raspberries |
1 cup |
8.0 grams |
| Starfruit |
1 cup |
3.9 grams |
Fruits are versatile as you can consume them raw, in the juice form or as salads. They go well with ice-creams, cakes and all other desserts. Fruits are nutritiously delicious and are very popular among the weight watchers.
Vegetables
| Fruit |
Serving |
Fiber Content |
| Artichoke |
1 medium |
10.0 grams |
| Baked Beans |
1 cup |
10.0 grams |
| Beetroot (canned) |
100 grams |
4.0 grams |
| Broccoli |
1 cup |
2.3 grams |
| Brussels Sprouts |
1 cup |
6.4 grams |
| Carrots |
1 cup |
4.0 grams |
| Collards |
1 cup |
1.3 grams |
| Cauliflower |
1 cup |
5.0 grams |
| Crookneck Squash |
1 cup |
2.9 grams |
| Green Beans |
10 |
2.0 grams |
| Kale |
1 cup |
1.3 grams |
| Lentils |
1 serving |
6.0 grams |
| Lima Beans |
1 cup |
11.0 grams |
| Potato (medium baked) |
1 |
4.0 grams |
| Spinach |
1 cup |
1.0 grams |
| Sweet corn |
1 cup |
5.0 grams |
| Tomato |
1 medium |
1.5 grams |
| Turnip Greens |
1 cup |
5.0 grams |
Vegetables are gifted with loads of nutrients and minerals. They can be consumed in various forms. You can have them raw, boiled or cooked with your favorite spices and herbs. Add them to soups or wrap them in a bread roll, vegetables are truly flexible.
Nuts and Seeds
| Nut and Seed |
Serving |
Fiber Content |
| Almonds |
1/4 cup |
2.4 grams |
| Brazil Nuts |
1 oz. |
2.1 grams |
| Cashews |
75 grams |
4.5 grams |
| Chestnuts (roasted) |
2 nos. |
1.9 grams |
| Coconut (shredded) |
1 cup |
7.2 grams |
| Flaxseeds |
1 tbsp. |
3.4 grams |
| Hazelnuts |
1 oz. |
2.7 grams |
| Peanuts (dry roasted) |
1 tbsp. |
1.1 grams |
| Pecans |
1 oz. |
2.9 grams |
| Pistachio |
1 oz. |
2.9 grams |
| Pumpkin Seeds |
1 oz. |
1.1 grams |
| Sesame Seeds |
1 tbsp. |
1.4 grams |
| Sunflower Seeds |
1/4 cup |
3.9 grams |
| Walnuts |
1 tbsp. |
1.1 grams |
Nuts are mainly consumed along with cereals or desserts. They can also be chewed between meals as they are a storehouse of proteins, iron, zinc and many other nutrients. Dried fruits and nuts are ideal as healthy snacks for children as well as adults.
Cereals and Grains
| Cereal and Grain |
Serving |
Fiber Content |
| Barley (raw) |
40 grams |
5.0 grams |
| Brown Rice |
1/2 cup cooked |
1.3 grams |
| Bran |
1/2 cup |
10.0 grams |
| Cornflakes |
1 cup |
0.5 grams |
| Corngrits |
1/2 cup cooked |
1.9 grams |
| Dinner Roll |
1 roll |
0.8 grams |
| Egg Noodles |
1/2 cup cooked |
0.8 grams |
| French Bread |
1 slice |
1.0 grams |
| Graham Crackers |
2 nos. |
1.4 grams |
| Macaroni (whole wheat) |
1 cup |
5.7 grams |
| Oatmeal |
100 grams |
0.0 grams |
| Oats whole |
1/2 cup cooked |
1.6 grams |
| Popcorn |
3 cups |
2.8 grams |
| Psyllium Husk |
10 grams |
1.8 grams |
| Rye Bread |
1 slice |
2.7 grams |
| Rye Wafers |
3 nos. |
2.3 grams |
| Soya Flour |
100 grams |
15.5 grams |
| Spaghetti |
1/2 cup cooked |
0.8 grams |
| Seven Grain |
1 slice |
1.9 grams |
| Tortillas |
2 nos. |
4.0 grams |
| White Bread |
1 slice |
0.53 grams |
| White Rice |
1/2 cup cooked |
0.5 grams |
| Whole Grain Bread |
1 slice |
2.9 grams |
| Wholemeal Flour |
100 grams |
11.0 grams |
Cereals maintain your health along with adding a feeling of fullness to the stomach. Loads of fiber content in cereals encourages stable stomach health. Cereals are quick to prepare and are best meant for daily breakfast. Nothing is better than starting your day with a bowlful of cereals with some fruit and nut garnishing.
The above fiber rich foods list is a small effort to help all my friends who wish to be guided towards a healthier existence, and give a wide choice of fiber foods to eat. In case you are not satisfied, you can browse through the given list of high fiber foods. Since we all know that we 'eat to live' and not 'live to eat', realizing the fact that a life full of diseases and ailments is not worth living, is a wise thought. We need to focus on following a
high fiber diet, along with regular exercises, before it is too late. After all, having a plateful of 'colorful medicines' is not a very pleasant way of starting a day. Is it?
