Natural Sources of Fiber

By far, the best place to get the fiber that your body needs is from natural sources. Taking fiber supplements like Metamucil can be valuable for people that need extra fiber in their diets. However, get as much of the fiber as you can from the foods that you eat. Provided in this article are good natural sources of fiber that you can enjoy every day. Please use this article as a reference if you are having a difficult time deciding on which foods to eat to get your daily requirement of fiber.

Fiber is valuable to the body because it takes a very long time to digest. For people on weight loss diets, daily intake of large amounts of fiber and protein can help to suppress appetite throughout the day. In addition, fiber has also been known to be valuable to the hardening of stool and the relief of diarrhea. Food sources that are high in fiber can be rather bland but there are many that are delicious and natural sources of this important nutrient.

Some important things to keep in mind:

• Always choose natural, fresh products with little or no preservatives/unnatural additives over canned or processed products.

• Try to select products that contain no added sugar and do not list high fructose corn syrup as one of the first 5 ingredients.

• Cooking fruits and vegetables may cause nutrients to be removed. Eat raw if you can.

• Canning beans, vegetables, etc. may cause nutrients to be removed. Eat fresh if you can.

• Try choosing snack foods that are as low in sodium as possible.

• Avoid putting too much butter on your popcorn to avoid excess fat and cholesterol.

Natural Sources of Fiber
Food Item	Serving Size	Amount of Fiber (g)
Apple Juice	1 cup	2 g
Apples	1 medium	6 g
Applesauce	1/2 cup	2 g
Bagel, white	1 large	2 g
Bagel, whole wheat	1 large	4 g
Bananas	1 medium	3 g
Beans, black	1/2 cup	6 g
Beans, garbanzo	1/2 cup	6 g
Beans, green	1/2 cup	2 g
Beans, pinto	1/2 cup	7 g
Bread, white	1 slice	1 g
Bread, whole wheat	1 slice	3 g
Cantaloupe	1 wedge	1 g
Carrots	1/2 cup	3 g
Cereal, Corn Flakes	1 cup	1 g
Cereal, oatmeal	1 cup	4 g
Cereal, Raisin Bran	1 cup	8 g
Corn	1/2 cup	2 g
Crackers	8 crackers	2 g
Crackers, whole wheat	8 crackers	3 g
Grape juice	1 cup	3 g
Grapes	1 cup	2 g
Green peas	1/2 cup	5 g
Orange juice	1 cup	5 g
Oranges	1 medium	3 g
Pasta, white	1 cup, cooked	2 g
Pasta, whole wheat	1 cup, cooked	4 g
Pears	1 medium	4 g
Pineapple	1/2 cup	6 g
Popcorn	1 cup	4 g
Potatoes	1/2 cup	3 g
Potatoes, sweet	1/2 cup	4 g
Pretzels	1 oz	1 g
Raisins	2 Tbsp.	2 g
Rice, brown	1 cup, cooked	4 g
Rice, white	1 cup, cooked	1 g
Strawberries	1/2 cup	8 g
Watermelon	1 slice	2 g

Benefits of Fiber

Dietary fiber is typically found in plant based foods. For example, food types that are high in dietary fiber include vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. One of the primary benefits of consuming a diet that is high in fiber is the support and maintenance of a healthy digestive system.

There are two basic types of fiber:

• Soluble Fiber: Soluble fiber dissolves in water and supports the lowering blood fats while maintaining blood sugar levels. Primary sources of soluble fiber include fruits, oat products, and beans.

• Insoluble Fiber: Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and is processed directly through the digestive system. Primary sources of insoluble fiber include vegetables and whole grain products.

Dietary fiber promotes "feeling full" more quickly and for a longer duration of time. This can be extremely beneficial for individuals that are looking to lose weight while, at the same time, minimize their food portions.

Dietary fiber also plays an important role in reducing large swings in blood sugar levels by slowing the rate of food digestion and absorption. By doing so, food is converted to glucose (sugar) at a slower and steadier rate. In addition, dietary fiber, when broken down during the digestive process, produces organic acids that then nourish the lining of the colon.

Fruits and vegetables are low in calories, while at the same time, high in vitamins, minerals and fiber. This being said, fruits and vegetables are an outstanding source of nutrients, are essential for any healthy diet, and should be included in every meal. furthermore, each individual should try to consume a minimum of 5 servings of fruit and 5 servings of vegetables per day.

Note: A nutritious and healthy diet should consist of approximately 20 to 30 grams of fiber per day.