10 Foods to Get More Fiber In Your Diet

Most Americans don’t get enough fiber. In fact, only 7% of Americans consume enough- 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men.

Here are 10 foods that you can eat to get more fiber in your diet:

1) Avocados - 5 grams for ½ avocado. This can be combined with pumpkin puree to add more fiber. Beat a ripe avocado with an electric mixer until creamy. Add 1 cup unseasoned pumpkin puree, ¼ cup sugar, ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice and ½ tsp vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and refrigerate for one hour. (Makes 4 servings, 5 grams fiber each).

2) Beets - 2 grams per ½ cup. This root vegetable is full of fiber and rich in antioxidants. Try them roasted or pickled, or raw, shaved over your next taco or salad.

3) Artichokes - 5 grams per ½ cup. They are among the highest-fiber vegetable. Add canned or thawed frozen artichoke hearts to pastas, salads or sandwiches.

4) Rye Crisp Breads - 5 grams per 3 crackers. These crackers have twice the amount of fiber of whole-wheat crackers and if you add hummus or guacamole, you add more fiber to your snack.

5) Chickpeas - 7 grams per ½ cup cooked. Beans are easy to add to soups and salad.

6) Raspberries - 10 grams per cup. These are one of the highest-fiber fruits. Try simmering 2 cups raspberries until they break down. Remove from heat and stir in 2 Tbsp chia seeds (Makes 1 cup: 3 grams fiber per 2 Tbsp).

7) Popcorn - 3 grams per 3 cups popped. Toppings and seasonings can vary. Try toasted sesame oil and nutritional yeast.

8) Cocoa Powder - 2 grams per tbsp. If you love hot chocolate, you are actually getting more fiber than a slice of whole-wheat bread. Whisk 2 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder into 1 cup of warm low-fat milk with 1 tsp. of sugar (Makes 1 serving, 4 grams fiber).

9) Pears - 6 grams for 1 medium fruit. Eat them raw or cook them to make your own “pear sauce” just like you would applesauce.

10) Red Lentils - 8 grams per ½ cup, cooked. These are easy to add to a smoothie. With their fiber and protein, they give a creamy consistency. To save time, cook a batch in bulk, cool and store in ½ cup servings in the freezer.

Source: Eating Well magazine, January/February 2021