High Fiber Fruits

John was an extremely health-conscious individual who always watched what he ate. His sister Genelia was the exact opposite, and used to binge on anything and everything that was kept in front of her. John's friend Neil was a fast food freak who cared two hoots about nutrition. John's girlfriend Bips had a worry of her own. Obsessed with attaining a size zero figure, she was a weight watcher of the highest order and was constantly on the lookout for the best low calorie foods. Bips' best friend Katrina had just begun a new career in show business. All the late nights began to take a toll on her body and she soon developed constipation. One fine day, John decided that he'd had enough. He bundled everyone into his car and took them to a nutrition seminar being delivered by an eminent nutritionist of the city, Dr. Jones. The seminar had a huge impact on the entire audience including John's friends. Here is a gist of what Dr. Jones said.

What comes to mind when we think of the words 'balanced diet'? Proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals, salts, even fat. What about fiber? Most people don't even know what fiber is, let alone incorporating it in their diet.

Looking towards John's friends, Dr. Jones said, "Fiber is what will keep Genelia away from binging and over-eating. Fiber is what will lower Neil's cholesterol levels and protect him from heart ailments. Fiber is what Bips can eat to her heart's content and yet be successful in achieving weight control. Fiber is what will cure Katrina's constipation and will improve her digestion."

Fiber, fiber, fiber. But what exactly is fiber? Is it something that is readily available? If yes, then where, how and in what form? If you too, like John's friends, are still in the dark about fiber, do not worry. Here is a list of high fiber fruits and vegetables that has been specially provided by Dr. Jones.

High Fiber Fruits List
The following is a list of high in fiber fruits that are readily available and are a natural and rich source of fiber.

• bananas
• pears
• apples
• strawberries
• oranges
• raspberries
• kiwi
• guavas
• avocados
• figs
• blueberries
• grapefruits.

In addition to the above, dried fruits like raisins, almonds, apricots and dates are extremely good sources of fiber. At the same time, nuts in the form of peanuts, walnuts, cashews and pistachios are also rich sources of fiber. So, after that longish high fiber fruits list, it's time to move on to an even longer list, one that once again has been provided by, none other than Dr. Jones.

High Fiber Fruits for Constipation Treatment
Some fruits are especially useful for treating irregular bowel movement and curing constipation. These are as follows:

• avocados
• bananas
• berries
• peaches
• plums
• melons
• apples
• pears
• grapes.

List of Other High Fiber Foods
This is a list of all the vegetables and cereals which are extremely rich sources of fiber:

• spinach, broccoli and all salad greens
• green peas, beans and lentils
• cabbage
• potatoes
• carrots
• mushrooms
• beetroot
• cauliflower
• corn
• Brussels sprouts
• cereals like oatmeal and bran
• whole wheat products
• barley
• spaghetti and pasta.

According to the nutritionist, around 25 to 30 grams was the amount of fiber that every person's daily diet was supposed to be containing. As all of John's friends had different diets and diverse eating habits, to make things easier, he prescribed a variety of high fiber diets for all of them. An apple at breakfast (5 grams of fiber), two bananas at lunch (8 grams), a pear in the evening (5 grams) and a bowl of raspberries for dessert (8 grams) would make an ideal combination for a day's intake of fiber. Alternatively, an avocado (12 grams) and a bowl of bran cereal (19 grams) would do just fine. Spaghetti and pasta for dinner followed by strawberry yogurt sprinkled with oatmeal cereal would be a terrific, healthy way to end the day.

The nutritionist's seminar on healthy diets had a profound impact on all of John's friends and each one of them thanked him profusely. Naturally, John wasn't surprised when Dr. Jones, in response, presented John's friends with a special 'parting gift' in the form of a fruit basket containing apples and oranges... both high fiber fruits!