If losing weight, staying regular, and reducing your risk of certain cancers is on your mind, then fiber should be too. Getting your fill — 25 to 30 grams a day — is proven to keep you feeling fuller longer so you eat fewer calories. Roughage is also important for keeping your digestive system happy, and more importantly, fiber has also been shown to reduce the risk of breast and colon cancers. Keep reading to learn which foods are the highest sources so you can start including them in your diet.
Avocado
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Nosh on these avocado snacks or add slices to your salad. Half a cup offers 6.7 grams of fiber. This fruit is also a great source of healthy fats that can help to reduce belly bloat.
Full of vitamin C and healthy antioxidants, this Summer fruit is only 64 calories per cup but offers a whopping eight grams of fiber. Add fresh berries to your cereal, put frozen berries into your morning smoothies, or whip up a batch of these high-protein lemon raspberry muffins.
An excellent, low-fat source of protein as well as potassium, kidney beans, like all legumes, are a wonderful way to fill up on fiber — a half-cup serving offers 10 grams.
One of the newer kids on the healthy block, chia seeds offer protein, omega-3s, calcium, and — for a one-tablespoon serving — six grams of fiber. Sprinkle them on cereal or add them to your smoothies.
The high fiber content in whole grains can help lower your cholesterol levels, and eating one cup of cooked barley offers six grams of fiber as well as 3.5 grams of protein for just under 200 calories. Grab a slow-cooker and make this POPSUGAR Food recipe for barley vegetable soup.
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Broccoli
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A dairy-free way to fill up on calcium, a cup of cooked broccoli also offers 5.1 grams of fiber.
You'll not only get a decent amount of potassium from a medium-sized pear, but for just over 100 calories, you'll aslo be eating 5.5 grams of fiber. Pair your pear with high-fiber edamame in this crostini recipe.
A half-cup serving of cooked lentils offers 7.8 grams of fiber as well as iron and vitamin B. Enjoy these little legumes by whipping up this red lentil tomato soup for under 300 calories per serving.
For just 64 calories, a medium artichoke offers tons of fiber — 10.3 grams. This veggie is also high in silymarin, an antioxidant that may improve liver health.
This green veggie may be small, but it packs a powerful fiber punch — 8.8 grams per one-cup serving. It's also high in protein, offering 8.2 grams. Throw peas into casseroles, soups, and pasta dishes if you're not a fan of eating peas on their own.