Increasing Fiber Intake

How do I increase my fiber intake?

Here are some easy ways to increase fiber:

Grains and cereals

• As a general rule, include at least one serving of whole grain in every meal.
• Keep a jar of oat bran or wheat germ handy. Sprinkle over salad, soup, breakfast cereals and yogurt.
• Use whole-wheat flour when possible in your cooking and baking.
• Choose whole grain bread. Look on the label for breads with the highest amount of fiber per slice.
• Choose cereals with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving.
• Keep whole-wheat crackers on hand for an easy snack.
• Cook with brown rice instead of white rice. If the switch is hard to make, start by mixing them together.

Legumes and beans

• Add kidney beans, garbanzos or other bean varieties to your salads. Each 1/2 cup serving is approximately 7 to 8 grams of fiber.
• Substitute legumes for meat two to three times per week in chili and soups
• Experiment with international dishes (such as Indian or Middle Eastern) that use whole grains and legumes as part of the main meal or in salads.

Fruits and vegetables

• Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Fresh fruit is slightly higher in fiber than canned. Eat the peel whenever possible — it's easier than peeling or eating around it.
• Have fresh fruit for dessert.
• Eat whole fruits instead of drinking juices. Juices don't have fiber.
• Add chopped dried fruits to your cookies, muffins, pancakes or breads before baking. Dried fruits have a higher amount of fiber than the fresh versions. For example, 1 cup of grapes has 1 gram of fiber, but 1 cup of raisins has 7 grams. However, 1 cup of raisins or any other dried fruit has more calories than the fresh fruit variety.
• Add sliced banana, peach or other fruit to your cereal.
• Grate carrots on salads.

Fiber supplements

To find information on fiber supplements, please see Fiber Supplements.

How much fiber do I get from fruits and vegetables?

While all fruits have some fiber, there are some that are higher than others. Here are a few that have 3 to 4 grams of fiber:

• Apple
• Orange
• Tangerine
• Pear
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup strawberries

Raspberries are high in fiber, as one cup has 8 grams.

Here are some vegetable choices that have 3 to 4 grams of fiber:

• 1/2 cup peas
• 1/2 cup cauliflower
• 1 cup carrots
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1/2 cup squash

Why is soluble fiber so important?

Soluble fiber has been shown to reduce total blood cholesterol levels and may improve blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.

The best sources of soluble fiber are oats, dried beans and some fruits and vegetables. Although there is no dietary reference intake for insoluble or soluble fiber, many experts recommend a total dietary fiber intake of 25 to 30 grams per day with about one-fourth — 6 to 8 grams per day — coming from soluble fiber.