Fiber Guide
- Shanon Whittingham, MS, RD, CDN, NBC-HWC
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that our bodies cannot fully digest, unlike other carbs (like sugar or starch). It is found in plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Fiber does the following:
🧻 Keeps You Pooping Regularly - Aids in digestion by promoting regular bowel movements and preventing constipation. It adds bulk to our stool, making it easier to pass through the digestive tract.
📉 Balances Blood Sugar - Helps control blood sugar levels by slowing down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. This is especially beneficial for people with diabetes.
🍽️ Helps You Feel Full - Makes us feel fuller for longer, reducing the tendency to overeat.
🦠 Feeds Your Good Gut Bacteria - Acts as a prebiotic, providing nourishment for the "good" bacteria in our intestines.
💖 Supports Heart Health - Can lower cholesterol, reduce risk for heart disease, and maintain healthy blood pressure levels.
Below you will find different foods that have fiber in them. You will see the name of the food, the serving size, and then the amount of fiber in that food. These are for the raw portions of food. There are more foods that have fiber in them, this is just a shortened list of those that are HIGHEST in fiber, for each food group.
Nuts and Seeds
Chia Seeds - 1 tablespoon (4 grams)
Ground Flaxseeds - 1 tablespoon (2 grams)
Almonds - 1 ounce/23 almonds (3.5 grams)
Daily Crunch Sprouted Almonds (link) - 1 serving (4 grams)
Pistachios - 1 ounce (2.9 grams)
Pumpkin seeds - 1 ounce (5 grams)
Sunflower Seeds - 1 ounce (3.9 grams)
Fruits
Raspberries - 1 cup (8 grams)
Blackberries - 1 cup (7.6 grams)
Blueberries - 1 cup (4 grams)
Avocado – 1/4 avocado (2-3 grams)
Guava - 1 cup (9 grams)
Pear (with skin) - 1 medium pear (6 grams)
Granny Smith Apple - small (4 grams)
Gala Apple - small (3.5 grams)
Fuji, Honey crisp, or red delicious apple (medium): (3 grams)
Non-starchy Vegetables
Artichokes - 1 medium artichoke (6.8 grams)
Broccoli - 1 cup (cooked, 5.1 grams)
Brussels Sprouts - 1 cup (cooked, 5 grams)
Carrots - 1 cup (cooked, 4.7 grams)
Spinach - 1 cup (cooked, 4.3 grams)
Callaloo - 1 cup (cooked, 2 grams)
Starchy Vegetables
Butternut Squash - 1 cup (6.6 grams)
Sweet or White Potatoes - 1 medium sweet potato (3.8 grams)
Corn - 1 ear (3.6 grams)
Green Peas – 1/2 cup (cooked, 4.4 grams)
Green (Unripe) bananas or Plantains - 1/2 of one (~3-4 grams)
Legumes
Split peas - 1/2 cup (8 grams)
Lentils - 1/2 cup (7.5 grams)
Kidney beans - 1/2 cup (7.5 grams)
Black beans - 1/2 cup (7.5 grams)
Lima beans - 1/2 cup (6.5 grams)
Chickpeas - 1/2 cup (6 grams)
Grains
Barley (cooked) - 1 cup (6 grams)
Quinoa (cooked) – 1 cup (5 grams)
Whole Wheat Pasta (cooked) - 1 cup (4.7 grams)
Oats - 1 cup (cooked, 4 grams)
Brown Rice - 1 cup (cooked, 3.5 grams)
Ezekiel Bread - 1 Slice (3 grams)
Dave’s Killer Bread - 1 Slice (3 grams)
Carbonaut Low-Carb Seeded Bread (link) - 1 slice (6 grams)
Wheat germ - 1/4 cup (3.8 grams)
Whole wheat flour - 1/4 cup (3.2 grams)
Bran cereal - 1ca/2 cup (9 grams)
Other and Snacks
Protein Bars
IQBAR (link) - 1 bar (7-8 grams)
Quest Protein Bars - Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (link) - 1 bar (14 grams)
Quest Protein Bars - Cookies & Cream (link) - 1 bar (15 grams)
Fiber One Oats & Chocolate Bars (link) - 1 bar (9 grams)
Fiber One Protein Bars - Caramel Nut - 1 bar (5 grams)
ALOHA Protein Bars Variety Pack (link) - 1 bar (12-14 grams)
Unite Churro Protein Bars (link) - 1 bar (6 grams)
KIND Breakfast Bars - Almond Butter (link) - 1 bar (7 grams)
KIND Breakfast Bars - Dark Chocolate Cocoa (link) - 1 bar (7 grams)
ProBar Meal Bar - Chocolate Coconut (link) - 1 bar (6 grams)
Crunchy Snacks
Fruit & Veggie Snacks
Granola, Cereal, & Popcorn
All-Bran, original - 3/4 cup (12 grams) (link)
All-Bran, buds - 3/4 cup (17 grams) (link)
Mom's Best Coconut Almond Granola (link) - 1 serving (5 grams)
LesserEvil Organic Popcorn - Himalayan Pink Salt (link) - 3 cups (5 grams)
Nature’s Path, Organic Smart Bran Cereal (link) - 3/4 cup (17 grams of fiber)
Brownies & Sweet Treats
⚠️ For every 10 grams of fiber, add 10 ounces of fluid (drink tea, water, seltzer, etc.) to prevent constipation! For example, if aiming for 30 grams of fiber in a day, add at least 30 ounces of fluids!
How Much Fiber Do I Need?
The amount of fiber you need depends on your age, gender, and sometimes even medical conditions. Nonetheless, refer to the chart below to get an idea of how much fiber a generally healthy person should consume.
🧍♀️🧍♂️Age Group | 🎯 Recommended Daily Fiber | 🍎 What That Looks Like |
Women: 18-50 years | At least 25 grams for women | ~6 servings of fruits/veggies + 3 servings whole grains |
Men: 18-50 years | At least 38 grams for men | ~8 servings fruits/veggies + 3–4 servings whole grains |
Women: 51 and older | At least 21 grams for women | Add beans, oatmeal, and fiber-rich fruits daily |
Men: 51 and older | At least 30 grams for men | Whole grain toast, brown rice, veggies at every meal |
📌Clever Ways To Boost Fiber In The Day
Get 26 grams in one shot! - Eat 1 apple, 1 pear, 1/2 cup blackberries, 2 tablespoons of chia seeds, and 1 cup broccoli in a day and you’ll hit 26 grams of fiber!
Put chia pouches (like Mama Chia brand) in your bag or car — Adds 4 grams of fiber
Snack on roasted edamame or lupini beans — high fiber and high protein! (link)
Carry single-serve nut butter packs (like almond or peanut) and pair with celery sticks or a small apple
Use avocado minis (like Wholly Guacamole brand) as a dip for veggies or topping for hard-boiled eggs
Sprinkle ground flaxseed into a plain Greek yogurt cup — easy fiber bump with almost no carbs
Make your own trail mix with almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and unsweetened coconut chips
Choose berries over bananas — raspberries and blackberries give 7–8g fiber per cup, lower in carbs too. 1 banana only gives you 3 grams
Pack single-serve olives or pickled veggies (like okra or green beans) — fiber plus flavor, no refrigeration needed
Toss a few psyllium fiber packets in your bag — stir into a water bottle or smoothie when you notice you are low on fiber
Keep high-fiber, low-carb bars on hand (like Good To Go or IQBAR) — look for 5g+ fiber and 10g or less in net carbs
Select Whole Grains: Make at least half of the grains in your diet whole grains. Processed or refined grains may be stripped of valuable nutrients, including fiber. Swap white rice with brown rice or replace white bread with whole-grain bread.
Add Legumes: Legumes are a food group that includes beans, peas and lentils. They are a great source of fiber and protein. Aim to consume at least 3 servings of legumes per week.
Leave the Skin: A large portion of fiber from fruits and vegetables is found in the skin. Instead of peeling these foods, leave the skin to boost your fiber intake.
Read Food Labels: Read food labels to ensure that you are purchasing foods with a good amount of fiber. Select foods that have at least 2.5 grams of fiber.
Bake with Fiber: Add extra fiber and nutrients to your baked goods by replacing all-purpose flour with high-fiber flour such as whole-wheat flour or flour made from nuts.
Try Plant Protein: Try plant sources of protein such as beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds. These can be consumed in place of less healthy proteins, such as red and processed meats.
Diversify Your Fiber
There are two main types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and turns into a gel-like substance during digestion. This slows the movement of food through our digestive system. Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, does not dissolve in water. It adds bulk to our stool and helps food pass through our bodies more quickly. Both types of fiber are important for our health and should be added as part of a balanced diet. You can learn more about insolube vs soluble fiber here. Here are different ways you can mix and match your fiber:
Color | Food Examples | Serving Size | Fiber (g) |
🟥 Red | Raspberries, Strawberries, Red Bell Peppers, Tomatoes | 1 cup raspberries (fresh) | 8 g |
🟧 Orange | Carrots, Oranges, Sweet Potatoes (with skin) | 1 medium sweet potato (baked) | 4 g |
🟨 Yellow | Corn, Yellow Peppers, Bananas (especially slightly green ones) | 1 medium banana | 3 g |
🟩 Green | Broccoli, Spinach, Avocados, Green Peas, Kiwi | 1 cup green peas (cooked) | 9 g |
🟦 Blue/Purple | Blackberries, Blueberries, Purple Cabbage, Eggplant (with skin) | 1 cup blackberries (fresh) | 7.6 g |
🤎 Brown | Lentils, Oats, Whole Wheat Bread, Quinoa | ½ cup cooked lentils | 8 g |
⚪ White/Beige | Popcorn (air-popped), Almonds, Beans (navy, cannellini), Potatoes (with skin) | 3 cups air-popped popcorn | 3.6 g |
BONUS! Fiber Hacks
Resources
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