10 Fiber Rich Fruits and Vegetables

Certain individuals try to moderate their carbohydrate intake for health reasons.  But there’s a type of carbohydrate that even these people should always include in their diet because it promotes good health and prevents diseases. It’s called dietary fiber, also known as roughage. Fiber is known to lower the risk of constipation, diverticulitis, heart disease, and diabetes. It also helps regulate blood sugar levels and is a digestion and weight loss helper.

Experts recommend 20-35 grams of fiber from food (not supplements) daily for children and adults. Some tips to reach that amount:
  • Replace meat with beans two to three times a week.
  • Choose brown rice and whole grain products over white rice, bread and pasta.
  • Snack on cucumbers, carrot sticks and other raw vegetables instead of processed bites like chips.
  • Pick whole fruits over fruit juices.
  • Reach for these top natural sources of fiber among fruits and vegetables:

FRUITS:

  1. Purple passion-fruit – 10 g/100 g
  2. Elderberries – 7 g

      elderberries image by me'nthedogs via Flickr cc

  3. Avocados – 7 g
  4. Kumquats – 6 g
  5. Raspberries – 6 g
  6. Rowal – 6 g
  7. Strawberry guava – 5 g
  8. Abiyuch – 5 g
  9. Blackberries – 5 g
  10. Sapodilla – 5 g

VEGETABLES:

1.       Grape leaves – 11 g
photo
Stuffed grape leaves with yogurt mint sauce (Jason/Lam/Flickr)

2.       Fireweed leaves – 11 g
3.       Artichokes, boiled with or without salt – 9 g
4.       Pinto beans, boiled with or without salt – 9 g
5.       Potatoes with skin, baked with or without salt – 9 g
6.       Wasabi, root – 8 g
7.       Cowpeas, boiled with or without salt – 6 g
8.       Pigeonpeas, boiled with or without salt  – 6 g
9.       Lima beans, boiled with or without salt – 6 g
10.   Green peas, boiled with or without salt – 6 g

* Nutrient data source: USDA

 © K Kristie