33 High Fiber Foods You Need in Your Diet

Dietary fiber is the rough, indigestible part of plant foods. It’s a type of carbohydrate that your body does not break down or absorb—but it does a lot of good for your health. Eating plenty of high fiber foods each day can benefit your digestion, blood sugar, weight management and more.

The Incredible Benefits of High Fiber Foods

Since dietary fiber is bulky and rough, it moves through your digestive tract to “clean” things out, add bulk, and help keep bowel movements regular. This is important for good digestive health and lowering the risk of diverticulitis, hemorrhoids, and potentially colorectal cancer.

High fiber foods can help reduce blood pressure and inflammation in the body. And the soluble fiber found in flaxseed, oatmeal, and beans can help lower bad cholesterol and control blood sugar. All of these actions are good for your heart health.

Also, research shows a high fiber diet may help reduce the risk of many common health conditions, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

How Much Fiber Do You Need Per Day?

Government guidelines say women should get at least 21-25 grams of fiber per day, while men should get at least 30-38 grams per day.

The best way to get more fiber in your diet is through high fiber plant foods like those listed below.

High Fiber Foods List

Here are 33 of the top high fiber foods (and their fiber counts, in grams) to help increase your daily fiber intake.

High Fiber Vegetables

• Green peas, cooked, 1 cup — 9 grams
• Artichoke, cooked, 1 medium — 7 grams
• Broccoli, cooked, 1 cup — 5 grams
• Turnip greens, cooked, 1 cup — 5 grams
• Potato, baked with skin, 1 medium — 4 grams
• Brussels sprouts, cooked, 1 cup — 4 grams
• Cauliflower, raw, chopped, 1 cup — 2 grams
• Carrots, raw, 1 cup — 3.6 grams

High Fiber Fruits

• Avocado, 1 whole — 13 grams
• Raspberries, 1 cup — 8 grams
• Pear, 1 medium — 5.5 grams
• Apple, 1 medium — 4.5 grams
• Blueberries, 1 cup — 4 grams
• Strawberries, 1 cup — 3 grams
• Banana, 1 medium — 3 grams
• Orange, 1 medium — 3 grams

High Fiber Beans and Legumes

Beans and legumes are excellent foods for getting more high fiber foods and plant-based protein in your diet.

You can’t really go wrong with almost any bean or legume, but here are some of the highest fiber choices (all cooked):

• Split peas, 1 cup — 16 grams
• Lentils, 1 cup — 15.5 grams
• Black beans, 1 cup — 15 grams
• Chickpeas, 1 cup — 12.5 grams
• Kidney beans, 1 cup — 11 grams
• Baked beans, 1 cup — 10 grams

High Fiber Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are good sources of fiber as well as healthy fats.

Here are the fiber counts per ounce, which is about two tablespoons or a small handful:

• Chia seeds — 10 grams
• Flax seeds — 8 grams
• Pumpkin seeds — 5 grams
• Almonds — 4 grams
• Sunflower seeds — 4 grams
• Pistachios — 3 grams

High Fiber Whole Grains

• Whole wheat spaghetti, cooked, 1 cup — 6 grams
• Pearled barley, cooked, 1 cup — 6 grams
• Quinoa, cooked, 1 cup — 5 grams
• Oatmeal, cooked, 1 cup — 5 grams
• Brown rice, cooked, 1 cup — 3.5 grams

Other Good Sources of Fiber

If you need a little more help in the fiber department, certain supplements can be beneficial, too. Psyllium husk and inulin are popular options.

The Bottom Line

The average American gets about 15 grams of fiber per day, falling very short of the minimum requirements. Don’t be average—eat more fiber from healthy plant foods!