We know you have been religiously exercising every morning to trim that conspicuous muffin top. However, overeating throughout the day can only neutralize the effort and toss away your weight loss plan. That explains why things are not working out, eh?
Well, you can tone down the urge to eat by simply consuming the natural appetite suppressant, fiber, daily in sufficient amounts. Quite impressive, no? Now that’s just one of the reasons why you should embrace the humble dietary fiber, STAT. There’s more.
Let’s first begin by understanding fiber and its types.
What is Fiber
Also known as roughage, dietary fiber is a plant-based nutrient that your body cannot completely break down. This means it passes through your body undigested thereby flushing out toxins and keeping your digestive system healthy. It’s a carbohydrate that can be found in grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes.
Types of Fiber
- Soluble fiber
- Insoluble fiber
Soluble fiber dissolves in water and is found in oatmeal, beans, nuts, apples, berries, and citrus fruits. This kind of fiber keeps the blood sugar level in control and lowers cholesterol.
Insoluble fiber is the bulkier fellow that does not dissolve in water and is found in whole grains, carrots, celery and white cereals. This kind of fiber helps prevent constipation.
Benefits of High Fiber Diet
- Habituated to silent struggles with your daily bowel movements? Well, it’s an indicator of the lack of fiber in your diet. Introducing adequate amount of dietary fiber is your best bet at easing bowel movements and keeping your digestive system clean.
- When Aunt Flo pays a visit, it’s natural to feel bloated and constipated. So don’t think twice before loading on fiber if you want to make it easier on your tummy.
- High fiber diet can help maintain your body’s fat-burning capacity while leaving you feel fuller and satisfied. This ensures no room for unhealthy cravings which only weigh down your weight loss plan. Perfect.
- We are all guilty of giving in to those 4 p.m. hunger pangs that make us crave for everything from sweet pastries to fried chips. This is a result of insulin spikes which can be avoided if you consume sufficient fiber during the day. Who needs the food guilt anyway?
- Increased fiber intake can considerably lower the levels of bad cholesterol and keep cardiovascular diseases at bay. Happy heart? Yes please.
- Bacteria in the lower intestine break down fiber to release Butyrate which protects your intestines against the growth of tumors of the colon. In other words, it lowers the risk of colon cancer.
- You have emptied every expensive cream out there for clear skin but still don’t seem pleased with the results? Well, maybe all your body needs is more of fiber rich foods. When fungus is excreted through your skin, it can trigger outbreaks and acne. Increasing fiber intake can flush out toxins from your body thereby improving your skin health.
High Fiber Food List
Don’t go foraging for fiber in meat and dairy products. You won’t find them. Stock your pantry with these high fiber foods that are both healthy and satisfying.
1. Banana
A delicious and convenient snack, banana is replete with fiber, antioxidants and other nutrients. To get the most out of this fruit, have it before it’s overripe. Besides, unripe bananas are also a rich source of resistant starch, an indigestible carbohydrate that functions similar to fiber. Now that’s a double win.
Estimated fiber in banana (per cup): 6 gm
2. Broccoli
Dark colored vegetables are better loaded with fiber and that’s why you should make broccoli a regular on your plate. P.S. It is the stalk of a broccoli that walks the talk so you might want to think twice before tossing it away. For maximum health benefits from this cruciferous veggie, have it gently steamed and not overcooked.
Estimated fiber in broccoli (per cup): 2.4 gm
3. Brown Rice
Before you think polished white rice would cut it, let us tell you brown rice has almost 2 times more fiber content than its paler counterpart does. That’s because the fiber rich husk is retained in brown rice. Besides, brown rice makes you feel full faster which can aid your weight management. Now isn’t that n(r)ice?
Estimated fiber in rice (per cup): 3.5 gm
4. Carrot
Bugs Bunny did right munching on crunchy carrots. Here’s why. This root vegetable, composed of mainly water and carbs is a good source of fiber (pectin and starch), Vitamin A, B, K, Potassium and antioxidants. The best part? It’s low on calories and fat. Chomp your way to weight loss.
Estimated fiber in carrot (per cup): 3.1 gm
5. Apple
Apples are nutritional powerhouses that contain pectin, a soluble fiber that feeds the friendly bacteria in your gut. This promotes gut health. Besides, it’s also full of insoluble fiber that promotes bowel health. PS: The skin seals the most fiber so it’s best had raw and unpeeled.
Estimated fiber in apple (per cup): 3 gm
6. Orange
Toss this citrus fruit in your lunch box as a quick snack or throw in fresh slices on your salad— and your digestive tract will thank you. It majorly comprises soluble fiber whereas the fibrous parts and seeds of orange function as insoluble fiber. So, if you don’t want to miss out on the insoluble fiber, it’s best advised to have the fruit in its raw form than as a juice.
Estimated fiber in orange (per cup): 4.3 gm
7. Potato
Hit pause if you’re thinking French fries or Fried wedges dipped in sour cream. To help your body get the fiber, think of potato more than just a comfort food. The skin of the potato is loaded with the most fiber and so the healthiest way to enjoy it is consuming it baked with its skin. This starchy root veggie also harbors copious amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Estimated fiber in potato (per cup): 3.4 gm
8. Oatmeal
You can consume upto 16% of the daily fiber requirement with a cup of oatmeal. More than half your bowl of oatmeal is cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber. To boost your fiber intake the yummy way, cook up a batch of oatmeal in milk and top it with raisins, mashed bananas, sliced walnuts and cranberries.
Estimated fiber in oatmeal (per cup): 4 gm
9. Air-Popped Popcorn
We know you didn’t expect your regular Netflix and chill comfort food to make it to the list, but here it is. This low-cal, fiber pumped snack can help your body get the roughage it needs to promote heart health and manage hunger pangs. Lesson? As long as your big bowl of popcorn is not dripping with butter, you don’t have to feel guilty of overindulging. Yayy.
Estimated fiber in air-popped popcorn (per cup): 1.2 gm
10. Raspberry
Raspberries are far ahead in the fiber race with a whopping 8 gm of fiber per cup. A boon to the low-carb dieters, the fiber and water content in these berries helps prevent constipation and maintain a healthy digestive tract. Jazz up your plain yogurt with frozen raspberries or blend your smoothie with a pop of these rubies.
Estimated fiber in raspberries (per cup): 8 gm
FAQs on Foods that Contain Fiber
1. Mention some high fiber vegetables and high fiber fruits?
- High fiber vegetables include the darker vegetables, such as Beets, Carrots, Artichokes, Spinach, Collard Greens, Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli, Asparagus, Brussel Sprouts, Green Beans, and Capsicum.
- Fiber rich fruits include Apples, Bananas, Strawberries, Raspberries, Oranges, Mango, Guava, Avocado, and Pears.
2. What are the best high fiber foods for weight loss?
Fiber rich foods for weight loss include Chia Seeds, Bran Cereal, Chickpeas, Blackberries, Flax Seeds, Avocados, Oatmeal, Apples and Potatoes.
3. What are the high fiber foods for constipation and piles?
High fiber foods for piles and constipation include Whole grains, Legumes, cruciferous vegetables (Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Brussel Sprouts, Kale), root vegetables (Beetroot, Carrot, Sweet Potato), Bell Peppers, Celery, Pears, And Bananas.
