32 Fiber-Rich Foods

High-fiber cereals, certain fruits, and beans are some of the most fiber-rich foods to treat constipation and aid in overall digestion. Getting enough fiber—a plant-based nutrient that can't be digested—is vital for different aspects of your physical health like heart health and digestion.

Most Americans aren't meeting their daily fiber needs, which range from 14 grams (g) to 30g. But diets rich in this nutrient have been linked to benefits. Here's more about why fiber is important for your health and 32 fiber-rich foods for constipation.

Benefits of Fiber

Fiber is a type of indigestible nutrient that's concentrated in plant foods. Unlike other nutrients, your body can't digest or absorb fiber. Instead, it passes, most intact, through your small intestine into your large intestine.

Dietary fibers are either soluble or insoluble in water, and even though you can't digest fiber, this nutrient plays a critical role in your health. Fiber may help: 

• Decrease the risk of certain health conditions like colon cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes
• Improve digestive health
• Promote a healthy body weight

Plenty of delicious fiber-rich foods can help you meet your daily fiber needs. Below are six categories, including over 30 different foods with fiber.

Vegetables 

Vegetables contain various amounts of fiber, but the following foods contain substantial amounts:

• Mashed sweet potato: 8.2g per cup
• Artichokes: 6.84g per medium-sized artichoke 
• Brussels sprouts: 6g per cup
• Collard greens: 6g per cup
• Broccoli: 5.14g per cup

Fruits

Like vegetables, a lot of fruit offer high-fiber content, including:

• Avocadoes: 13.5g per avocado 
• Raspberries: 9.75g per cup 
• Guava: 8.9g per cup
• Blackberries: 7.63g per cup
• Pear: 7.13g per cup

Grains

These grain-based foods are full of fiber:

• Unsweetened, high-fiber, ready-to-eat cereal: 14g per ½ cup
• Teff: 7g per cup
• Barley: 5.97g per cup
• Popcorn: 5.8g per three cups
• Quinoa: 5.18g per cup
• Oats: 3.98g per cup
• Brown rice: 3.12g per cup

Nuts and Seeds

Various nuts and seeds are a great way to increase your fiber intake. You can try:

• Chia seeds: 9.75g per ounce
• Ground flax seeds: 8g per 30-gram serving
• Almonds: 3.5g per ounce  
• Sunflower seeds: 3.26g per ounce
• Pecans: 2.72g per ounce 

Legumes 

Legumes are some of the most fiber-rich foods. Examples of their fiber content include:

• Navy beans: 19g per cup
• Lentils: 15.6g per cup 
• Black beans: 15g per cup
• Kidney beans: 13.1g per cup
• Chickpeas: 12.5g per cup

Other High-Fiber Foods

Some high-fiber foods don't fit into the categories above. You can also get fiber from:

• Cacao nibs: 8g per ounce
• Psyllium husk powder: 7g per tablespoon 
• Coconut flakes: 6g per half cup
• 80% dark chocolate: 3.99g per ounce
• Sprouted grain bread: 2.99g per slice 

How Much Fiber Do You Need?

Your fiber needs depend on your gender and age. Here are the daily fiber recommendations from the United States Institute of Medicine (IOM):

Most people don't come close to meeting these recommendations because the average American diet is high in ultra-processed food and low in fiber-rich foods like vegetables and fruits. The average American consumes just 15 grams of fiber per day.

Hitting the recommended daily fiber intake for your gender and age can help support overall health. It can also reduce the risk of medical conditions like heart disease, colon cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

Tips for Increasing Your Fiber Intake

When you want to increase your fiber intake, you'll want to consider the following tips:

• Add fiber to your diet gradually. When increasing your fiber intake, do so slowly. Increasing your fiber intake too quickly could cause digestive symptoms like bloating and gas.
• Drink enough water. Individual water needs vary, so ensure you drink the amount personally recommended for you. Consuming fiber-rich foods but not drinking enough fluids may worsen constipation.
• Keep peels on fruits and vegetables when possible. The fiber is mainly found in the skin of produce.

A Quick Review

Try choosing a few of the fiber-rich foods listed above if your diet lacks fiber. Eating fiber-rich foods can help promote digestive health and reduce your risk of health conditions like heart disease, constipation, and colon cancer. 

Fiber needs vary individually, so check with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian to help determine how much you need. Some tips to consider when increasing your fiber intake are to slowly add fiber-rich foods to your eating pattern and ensure you're drinking enough water.