List of High Fiber Foods

You can’t use a list of high fiber foods until you don’t know anything about fibers. Firstly, they are an essential component of a healthy diet.

You can find alimentary fibers especially in fruit, vegetables, integral cereals, and they are famous for their ability to prevent and treat constipation. But fibers have other advantages, too; they reduce the risk of diabetes and of heart diseases.

What are alimentary fibers?
Alimentary fibers, also called ballast substances, include all the components of aliments, of vegetal origin, which the stomach can’t digest or absorb. Fibers are often classified in two categories: those which can’t be solved in water (insoluble fibers) and those which can be dissolved (soluble fibers).

Insoluble fibers
These fibers intensify the transit of the intestinal content by the digestive system and increase the volume of fecal bolus. Thus, they are indicated to those who suffer from constipation or irregular defecation. Integral flour, bran, nuts and some vegetables are important sources of insoluble fibers.

Soluble fibers
This type of fibers can be dissolved in water, forming a gelatinous substance. They contribute to the decreasing of cholesterol level and glucose in blood. Soluble fibers can be found in high quantities in porridge, peas, beans, apples, citric fruit, carrots, barley.
Vegetal products contain different quantities of fibers of both types. In order to have positive effects for your health, consume a great variety of foods rich in fibers.

Benefits of alimentary fibers
Unlike the other components of foods (fats, proteins or sugars) which the organism degrades and assimilates, the fibers are not digested by our digestive system. Therefore they remain practically unchanged when they pass through the stomach, the thin intestine in order to get to the thick intestine.

Alimentary fibers grow the weight and volume of fecal bolus and soften it, reducing the risk of constipation. If your fecal waste is watery and soft, the fibers can help you, as they absorb water and give consistence to the fecal bolus.

A diet rich in fibers can reduce the risk of some diseases like hemorrhoids, the syndrome of irritable colon and other colon affections. Fibers, especially soluble ones can also reduce the level of cholesterol in your blood and reduce the sugars absorption, thus improving sugar level in the case of people suffering from diabetes.

A diet rich in fibers can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes occurrence and contributes to preventing loss of weight. Aliments rich in fibers need to be chewed longer, thus letting the body get the satiety sensation and avoiding excessive consumption. A diet rich in fibers also gives us the sensation that the meal is more consistent and it lasts longer. Moreover, it tends to contain fewer calories at the same quantity of food.

Furthermore, you will find out information about fiber consumption and about the amount of fibers which is necessary daily.

For adults the following daily doses are recommended:

1. Under 50 years - over 50 years
2. Men 38 grams - 30 grams
3. Women 25 grams - 21 grams

If the daily amount of fibers is not enough, it should be increased.

You may choose products from integral cereals, fresh or cooked fruit and vegetables, beans and dry peas.

Aliments prepared industrially, for example fruit juice, white bread, pasta, or refined cereals, don’t contain the same amount of fibers. The refining process removes the exterior layer of the cereals, decreasing their fiber content. The same result is obtained when the peel of fruit and vegetables is removed.
To continue, you will know the fiber content of some aliments and which sources are the best.

The following list presents the fiber content of some aliments:

Products
Fiber content expressed in grams, which actually may vary from a brand to another, but you may at least have a general idea about fiber content
1. Cooked peas, 1 cup - 16.3 g
2. Red beans, boiled, 1 cup - 13.1 g
3. Fresh raspberry, 1 cup - 8.0 g
4. Spaghetti from integral flour - 6.3 g
5. Muffin made of barley bran, medium size - 5.2 g
6. Broccoli, boiled, 1 cup - 5.1 g
7. Porridge flakes, normal or instant, cooked, 1 cup - 4.0 g
8. Green beans, cooked, 1 cup - 4.0 g
9. Brown rice, cooked, 1 cup - 3.5 g
10. Apple, medium size, with peel - 3.3 g
11. Popcorn, 2 cups - 2.4 g
12. Integral bread, 1 slice - 1.9 g
13. Mushrooms, 100 g - 2.5 g

Complete foods are preferred in general instead of fiber supplements. The latter ones do not contain vitamins, minerals and other nutritive substances, unlike aliments rich in fibers.

However, there are some persons who need a supplement of fibers if diet changes are not enough or if they suffer from any medical affection, like the syndrome of irritable colon. Talk to a doctor if you want to take fiber supplements.