If you ask most anybody they will tell you that we should eat more fiber and that fiber is “nature’s broom”. But do you really know what that means? And how much is more fiber?
I want to tell you at the beginning of this post while you are still paying attention that if you eat more fiber you MUST drink more fluids, preferably water. If you don’t it will back up and create a plug you won’t enjoy. – Jughandle
From the Mayo Clinic:
Looking to add more fiber to your diet? Fiber — along with adequate fluid intake — moves quickly and relatively easily through your digestive tract and helps it function properly. A high-fiber diet may also help reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. (jughandle adds – as well as colon cancer)
Here’s a look at the fiber content of some common foods. Read nutrition labels to find out exactly how much fiber is in your favorite foods. Women should try to eat at least 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day, while men should aim for 30 to 38 grams a day.
|Fruits||Serving size||Total fiber (grams)*|
|Pear, with skin||1 medium||5.5|
|Apple, with skin||1 medium||4.4|
|Strawberries (halves)||1 1/4 cup||3.8|
|Figs, dried||2 medium||1.6|
|Grains, cereal & pasta||Serving size||Total fiber (grams)*|
|Spaghetti, whole-wheat, cooked||1 cup||6.2|
|Barley, pearled, cooked||1 cup||6.0|
|Bran flakes||3/4 cup||5.3|
|Oat bran muffin||1 medium||5.2|
|Oatmeal, quick, regular or instant, cooked||1 cup||4.0|
|Popcorn, air-popped||3 cups||3.5|
|Brown rice, cooked||1 cup||3.5|
|Bread, rye||1 slice||1.9|
|Bread, whole-wheat or multigrain||1 slice||1.9|
|Legumes, nuts & seeds||Serving size||Total fiber (grams)*|
|Split peas, cooked||1 cup||16.3|
|Lentils, cooked||1 cup||15.6|
|Black beans, cooked||1 cup||15.0|
|Lima beans, cooked||1 cup||13.2|
|Baked beans, vegetarian, canned, cooked||1 cup||10.4|
|Sunflower seed kernels||1/4 cup||3.9|
|Almonds||1 ounce (23 nuts)||3.5|
|Pistachio nuts||1 ounce (49 nuts)||2.9|
|Pecans||1 ounce (19 halves)||2.7|
|Vegetables||Serving size||Total fiber (grams)*|
|Artichoke, cooked||1 medium||10.3|
|Peas, cooked||1 cup||8.8|
|Broccoli, boiled||1 cup||5.1|
|Turnip greens, boiled||1 cup||5.0|
|Sweet corn, cooked||1 cup||4.2|
|Brussels sprouts, cooked||1 cup||4.1|
|Potato, with skin, baked||1 medium||2.9|
|Tomato paste||1/4 cup||2.7|
|Carrot, raw||1 medium||1.7|
*Fiber content can vary between brands.
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