You NEED to have more of this is your diet!
There’s a lot of conflicting information out there with regard to nutrition and diet. From vegan to paleo, no one seems to agree on what exactly we should be eating and you’ll find outspoken advocates on all sides. In the heat of all these contentious debates, I believe that one extremely important component of food has been left out of the discussion. That component is fiber. No matter what dietary path you take, adding more fiber into your daily meal plan will substantially improve your health. Research shows that fiber supports weight loss, heart health, blood sugar balance, and of course, digestion. All fruits and vegetables contain fiber, as do legumes and whole grains. I recommend that my patients aim to get 25 – 35 grams of fiber every day. It’s not as easy as you might think!
Here’s a list of some foods and their fiber content:
Fruits: (serving size is one piece or as noted)
- Figs (3) – 5.3 grams
- Apple with skin – 4.7 grams
- Pears – 4.3 grams
- Dates (5) – 3.7 grams
- Apricots (10) – 3.6 grams
- Prunes (5) – 3.5 grams
- Orange – 3.1 grams
- Kiwi – 2.6 grams
- Strawberries (6) – 2.0 grams
- Raisins (1/4 cup) – 1.9 grams
- Banana – 1.8 grams
- Blueberries (25) 1.7 grams
- Apple sauce – 1.5 grams
- Peach – 1.4 grams
- Canteloupe (1/4) – 1.1 grams
- Pineapple (1/2 cup) – 0.9 grams
- Grapefruit (1/2) – 0.7 grams
- Watermelon (1 cup) – 0.6 grams
Vegetables: (serving size is 1/2 cup unless noted)
- Baked potato with skin – 4.2 grams
- Sweet potato – 3.4 grams
- Corn – 3,1 grams
- Peas – 2.9 grams
- Winter squash – 2.9 grams
- Carrot (1) – 2.3 grams
- Broccoli – 2.0 grams
- Spinach (1 cup) 2.0 grams
- Turnip – 1.6 grams
- Beets – 1.5 grams
- Cabbage – 1.5 grams
- Cauliflower – 1.4 grams
- Green beans – 0.9 grams
- Tomato (1/2) 0.8 grams
- Celery (1 stalk) – 0.6 grams
- Green pepper – 0.6 grams
- Lettuce (1 cup) – 0.6 grams
- Mushrooms – 0.5 grams
Legumes (serving size is 3/4 cup of cooked beans)
- Pinto beans – 14.2 grams
- Kidney beans – 13.8 grams
- Black-eyed peas – 12.3 grams
- Lima beans – 10.3 grams
- Navy beans – 9.0 grams
- Chickpeas – 7.1 grams
- Lentils – 5.6 grams
- Split peas – 4.1 grams
- Tofu – 1.4 grams
Grains (serving size is 1 cup)
- Barley – 8.6 grams
- Bulgur – 8.1 grams
- Quinoa – 4.6 grams
- Brown rice – 3.3 grams
- Wheat – 3.1 grams
- White rice – 1.3 grams
Visit Dr. Reddy’s Office to know more!