You may hear quite often that increasing dietary fiber in your diet can do wonders for your health and your appetite. This is true! Fiber not only provides numerous health benefits such as managing blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure, but it is also highly effective at regulating your digestive system by keeping you feeling satiated for a longer period of time.
Because dietary fiber plays such a beneficial role in our diet, it is super important to take note of the recommended amount of fiber you should be having per day. According to The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, women should aim for 25g of fiber per day, while men will need about 38g per day. As we age, our fiber needs decrease. For those over the age of 51, women and men need approximately 21g and 30g of dietary fiber, respectively. Being able to understand what types of foods contain high levels of dietary fiber will help you build wholesome and nutrient-dense meals that will keep you feeling full all day long!
But what does grams of fiber even look like when we translate it to food choices? Before we get into that, let’s chat about what kinds of foods serve as excellent sources of dietary fiber to give you a starting point of what will count as a high-fiber food.
What are Some Good Sources of Dietary Fiber?
- Fruits and vegetables (keep the skin on for an extra boost of higher fiber!)
- Nuts and seeds
- Whole-grains
- Beans and legumes
- NuGo Fiber d’Lish bars
Now that we covered the basics of which types of foods will help to increase fiber in your diet, it’s time to discuss some examples of meals or snacks to include to be sure you are hitting your recommended amount of fiber per day!
What Does Fiber Look Like in Grams?
Below are some examples of healthy food options, which can be added to your diet to boost your levels of dietary fiber along with their corresponding number of grams.
- ½ cup quinoa, soybeans, or chickpeas = 5 grams
- ½ cup black beans, kidney beans, or lentils = 7 grams
- 1/3 cup bran cereal = 8 grams
- 1 medium baked potato or sweet potato with the skin = 4 grams
- ½ cup blackberries or raspberries = 4 grams
- 1 ounce of almonds = 3 grams
- ½ avocado = 5 grams
- ½ cup frozen mixed veggies = 4 grams
- 1 apple = 3 grams
- 1 pear = 5 grams
- NuGo Fiber d’Lish bars = 12 grams (check out our product line of flavors here!)
Overall, adding in options such as quinoa, beans, fruits, veggies, or a tasty NuGo Fiber d’Lish bar can help you meet your total fiber needs! An important note to keep in mind when increasing fiber in your diet, is to make sure it is done both gradually and accompanied by plenty of fluids to ensure your digestive system positively adapts to the increase over time. So get ready to feel more satiated at meal times and to experience all the positive health benefits dietary fiber has to offer!
About the Author:
Joannah Konecny, RD is a New Jersey based Registered Dietitian and business owner of Jo’s Foods that Fit, LLC. Her mission is to guide individuals toward better nutrition by improving both their lifestyle habits and their mindset. Through this, she helps clients increase their confidence and love their bodies. Joannah has a passion for discovering new food products and developing healthy recipes with them! You can follow her journey on Instagram or on her website.