FIBER FAVORITES
Current guidelines recommend 14 grams of fiber for every 1000 calories, which means for most adults, 25-35 grams per day is the sweet spot. And though “increase your intake of fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans!” can be a helpful place to start, it can also sometimes feel like yet another thing we have to keep track of to walk the delicately balanced nutrition tightrope.
Before I get to some real examples, some helpful notes about fiber:
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate (so if you’re trying to find it as an ingredient in a food that is mostly protein, you’re going to have to look elsewhere). It’s a complex carbohydrate, which means our bodies cannot digest it or break it down into glucose, so it passes through our systems relatively intact (this is a really good thing for our gut health and digestive system!)
Speaking of gut health, fiber helps to “feed” the good bacteria in our colon. This good bacteria live in our body full-time, and when we fuel them, they are able to thrive and keep our gut protected (think: a nourished intestinal lining, an overall stronger immune system, supporting healthy bowel movements)
It can be helpful to think of 2-3 fiber sources you love and have them in your daily food rotation; this’ll help decision fatigue and can help be a foundation with which to build off of. Kind of like a “I know with X, Y, and Z, I’ve accounted for 15g of fiber, so I’ve got less holes to fill/creativity to dial into to figure out the rest!”
Here are ten favorite stand-alones, snacks, and meals (from my personal arsenal, and from clients, too!) that can be included in your rotation after the next trip to the grocery store:
PEARS: late summer/fall is their peak time, but a medium-sized juicy pear is about 6g of fiber
MIXED BERRIES + GRANOLA: great on their own (together clocking in around 6g for a cup of berries and ¼ cup granola) or over some oatmeal, overnight oats, or Greek yogurt.
OVERNIGHT OATS: there are a million ways to prepare them – this is my favorite take on them (10g). Half a cup of dry oats are about 4g of fiber, making any oatmeal-based meal (warm or cold) a great place to start.
RASPBERRIES + DARK CHOCOLATE: a “elite snack” according to Nicole. A cup of raspberries and an ounce of dark chocolate is about 11g of fiber.
DRIED BEANS: these are my current favorite! Dry-roasted edamame or chickpeas with some seasoning for a delightful afternoon crunch. (4-6g)
CHIA SEED YOGURT: Jason says to mix a cup of Greek yogurt with a tablespoon of chia seeds and let it sit overnight like you would for overnight oats (“a splash of milk, too, depending on the consistency you like”). The chia seeds will start you with about 5g of fiber, and any toppings you add to the yogurt in the morning can boost that, too.
SMOOTHIES: the fruit alone can make a dent in your goals; add some seeds (like chia, flax, or hemp) or nut butter and a snack or breakfast-on-the-go can easily cross into double-digit fiber territory.
PEANUT BUTTER BANANA WRAP: spread some peanut butter onto a high-fiber tortilla, add a banana and roll up. (10g+, depending on wrap of choice)
POPCORN: 2 cups of air-popped popcorn with a tablespoon of nutritional yeast (8.5g)
BEANS: an honorable mention from many clients to add to meals as a side, throw in soups, or put in a bowl or wrap. A half-cup of cooked beans is usually in the neighborhood of 6-10g of fiber, depending on bean type!
YOUR NEXT STEP
Does this blog post give you any inspiration toward your fiber goals? At Front Porch Nutrition, I coach real people through real-life nutrition — thinking through what your wants, needs, and goals are, and working together to make changes that last not just in the moment, but for the long haul. Get started with 1:1 nutrition coaching today!
