The Best High-Fiber Foods to Include In Your Diet

Fiber may not be the hottest nutrient to discuss, but it’s one of the best things you can eat today. Its benefits reach far beyond the gut. From your waistline to your heart, fiber works hard to keep you healthy, lean, and living long.

Here’s the catch: your body doesn’t make fiber. To gain all its benefits, you have to eat it. And, statistically speaking, you’re probably not hitting the goal. 95% of Americans don’t eat enough fiber—most are barely getting half the fiber they need.

Today, you’ll find all the inspiration you need to fill up on fiber. Plus, I’ll point you to the best high-fiber foods you should start eating today.

What Exactly is Fiber?

Fiber, a.k.a. “roughage” or “bull,” is the portion of plant food that our bodies can’t digest. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate. While we break other carbs down into digestible sugar molecules, fiber passes through the intestinal tract nearly intact.

Fiber comes in different forms, and we need all three to thrive. Together, the three types of fiber work together to promote detoxification, prevent constipation, and support a healthy microbiome.

Soluble Fiber: This type of fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like material. Soluble fiber collects bile molecules, metabolic waste products, hormones, and chemicals so they can be eliminated from the body. Oats, beans, peas, flaxseed, apples, carrots, and avocados contain soluble fiber.
Insoluble Fiber: This type absorbs fluid and adds bulk to stools, making them easier to pass. Whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, root veggies, and seeded fruit (like berries and kiwis) contain insoluble fiber.
Prebiotic Fiber: This type of fiber feeds the good bacteria in your gut. It passes through the stomach into the colon, where gut bacteria ferment it and use it as food. Bananas, onions, and garlic are good sources of prebiotic fiber.

What Happens If I Don’t Eat Enough Fiber?

Our human ancestors were consuming around 100 grams of fiber each day! Today, most Americans are eating a tenth of that number. We’ve evolved to eat non-fiber foods. An offshoot of that evolution is a host of chronic diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, bowel disease, and kidney disease.

Eating too little fiber could cause increased inflammation throughout your body. Studies have also shown that fiber is crucial for a strong immune system. Plus, not eating enough fiber makes losing weight and keeping it off a lot harder.

According to a Harvard study, people who ate the most fiber-rich foods had a lower risk of developing chronic disease and dying overall. Another large body of observational research found that eating just 10 additional grams of fiber per day can help decrease your risk of early death by 10 percent! That’s a good reason to eat your broccoli!

Counting your fiber isn’t difficult. A quick look at the nutrition label or a Google search will tell you how much fiber is in the foods you eat. According to the research, finding (and upping) your fiber intake will add years to your life.

Can Fiber Help Me Lose Weight?

Fiber is critical for weight loss. Research shows that high-fiber diets are associated with lower body weight and less body fat, even when calories are not restricted. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, eat more fiber!

Why Fiber is Crucial For Women

Most of us think of fiber as a way to promote gut health, but fiber is also a crucial player in hormonal balance. As women, hormonal balance is critical for how we feel and how we age. After the age of 35—when perimenopause brings symptoms like hormonal imbalance, weight gain, and constipation—our need for fiber increases.

Fiber regulates levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone in many ways involving your digestive tract, liver, ovaries, and blood circulation.

Here’s one example:

If your body has too much estrogen, your liver will take the excess estrogen and release it into your digestive tract to be eliminated in your stool.
If you suffer from constipation, the excess estrogen in your digestive tract can be reabsorbed and enter back into circulation.
Fiber, however, can save the day. Not only does it help promote regular bowel movements and a healthy gut microbiome, but certain fibers move through the digestive tract and bind to the excess estrogen, ensuring that it’s eliminated and not reabsorbed!

Filling up on fiber will help you feel your best and keep your hormones in balance.

How Much Fiber Do I Need?

Today, we’re consuming a measly 10 grams of fiber a day. That’s insufficient to promote a healthy gut and ward off chronic diseases. I train all my clients to aim for at least 30 grams of fiber daily. Personally, I shoot for 50 grams!