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Fiber in the Diet: What are the Best Suppliers?

Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet. We’ll tell you what fiber is all about and which foods contain a particularly large amount of fiber.

What is dietary fiber?

Dietary fiber is mainly found in plant foods. These are mainly linked sugar molecules. They swell up in our body and thus ensure a faster feeling of satiety. They are not decomposed by enzymes in the stomach and intestines, but are excreted almost undigested.

Dietary fiber can be divided into water-soluble and water-insoluble:

Soluble fiber is broken down by bacteria in the large intestine, which, according to the Apotheken Umschau, is good for the intestinal flora.
Insoluble fiber binds water and swells in the intestine. In this way, the contents of the intestine are transported faster.

Dietary fiber: we need it for that

Although fiber does not provide our body with nutrients and is often excreted undigested, according to Apotheken Umschau it plays a very important role in our body:

They stimulate digestion and prevent constipation.
Fiber also causes the blood sugar level to rise very slowly after eating. This is especially helpful for people who suffer from diabetes.
Fiber is said to have a positive effect on cholesterol levels. However, the study situation is still ambiguous in this regard.
A high-fiber diet can prevent colon cancer.
Drinking enough water is important for a high-fiber diet. The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) recommends about one and a half liters of water or unsweetened tea a day. This is the only way the dietary fibers can swell in the intestine.

Dietary Fiber: The Best Foods

If you value a balanced diet, you don’t have to worry about a lack of fiber. The best fiber suppliers are:

Fruits: apples, pears, berries, kiwis and citrus fruits
Dried fruits: plums, raisins and apricots
Vegetables: Jerusalem artichokes, broccoli, carrots, potatoes, and Brussels sprouts and white cabbage
Whole grain products: Whole grain bread and whole grain pasta
nuts and seeds
Legumes: Peas, lentils and beans

High-fiber diet: These foods are unsuitable

As mentioned above, dietary fiber is mainly found in plant foods. These should therefore make up the bulk of your diet. The DGE also recommends this in its ten rules for a balanced diet.

But not all plant-based products are automatically high in fiber: foods made from white flour in particular contain hardly any fiber. For a high-fiber diet, it is better to choose the whole grain version.

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health

Beta-glucan: The Particularly Healthy Dietary Fiber

Among the dietary fibers, beta-glucan stands out particularly positively – this is due to its special effect on blood sugar, cholesterol levels and Co. You can find out more about its characteristics and effects here.

What is beta glucan?

Beta glucan is a soluble fiber. Dietary fibers are indigestible fibers and plant fibers. If they are classified as “soluble”, this means that they bind water, swell up and thereby soften the stool. They are also important food for the intestinal bacteria.

We cannot form beta-glucan ourselves, we have to ingest it through food. However, fiber is only found in a few foods. This includes:

Oats
barley
algae
Mushroom varieties (e.g. Reishi, Shiitake, Maitake)
Yeast

Beta-glucan: effect on cholesterol levels

In contrast to other dietary fibers, beta-glucan is a particular focus due to its special health effects. Studies show that beta-glucan from oats has a positive effect on our cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol is found in the bile acids, among other things. Beta-glucan can bind these acids in the intestine. In addition, it helps to ensure that the cholesterol in the liver is utilized for the formation of new bile acids. Both cause the cholesterol level in the blood to drop. A balanced cholesterol value serves above all as an important prevention for various heart diseases.

To benefit from this effect, you should consume about three grams of oat beta-glucan per day. For example, you would have to eat 80 grams of oatmeal or 40 grams of oat bran flakes. You can easily do this by eating muesli or porridge in the morning.

Other effects: weight, blood sugar and cancer prevention

Like other dietary fibers, beta-glucan helps us feel full faster and for longer. If we regularly eat high-fiber food, we can prevent food cravings. Beta-glucan is therefore also considered an effective remedy for overweight, as it can promote weight loss. But make sure to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way by eating a balanced diet and avoiding crash diets.

The satiating effect of beta-glucan is believed to be due to the fiber slowing gastric emptying and delaying the absorption of glucose. This causes our blood sugar levels to drop. This effect is particularly important for people suffering from type 2 diabetes: the low blood sugar level improves the insulin response. In order to achieve this effect, one should ingest at least four grams of beta-glucan from oats or barley, according to the Nutrition Review.

There are also studies that show that beta-glucan can counteract the growth of tumors in the early stages. The extent to which dietary fiber prevents cancer growth is largely dependent on the source and dose of beta-glucan and the type of tumor.

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Food

High Fiber Vegetable Chips

During a cozy evening in front of the TV or with an exciting board game, snacks are often served. Chips are at the top of the list. Instead of the usual potato chips, try the variant made from other vegetables. These are often richer in fiber.

High-fiber vegetable chips

If you like nibbling salty things, you should definitely try the vegetable chips. Compared to potato chips, these are often richer in fiber, which stimulates digestion and keeps you full for longer. However, if you are hoping for a lower-calorie version at the same time, you will be taught a better lesson: crisps made from vegetables are only slightly lower in calories than the potato version.

Vegetable chips are made from beetroot, parsnip, Jerusalem artichoke, or carrot, for example. The spice mixtures are also varied and range from classic salt and pepper to curry or chili.

Make your own vegetable chips

This snack made from high-fiber vegetables is on the table in just 30 minutes and has only 90 calories per serving: vegetable chips with tomato quark.

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Food

Low Fiber Foods: What You Can Eat (List)

After intestinal diseases it is sometimes necessary to resort to low-fiber foods. This allows the digestive system to recover more easily. Here you can find out which low-fiber products are particularly suitable.

Low-fiber foods should be the exception rather than the rule, because fiber is fundamentally the basis of any healthy diet. This is because fiber is essential for a healthy digestive system as it stimulates bowel movements.

When are low-fiber foods useful?

With certain complaints and illnesses, the gastrointestinal tract is so overwhelmed that high-fiber food can have a negative effect on digestion. This applies, for example, to gastrointestinal infections and many other diseases of the digestive tract, but also after certain operations. The digestive system is often so weak at first that you have no appetite and do not eat any solid food for a few days. Especially after such days, you should slowly get your intestines used to solid food.

In such situations, high-fiber foods would be out of place and would likely lead to bloating and stomach cramps. You should now resort to so-called “light foods”, i.e. foods that contain little fiber and are easy to digest. You should also make sure you drink enough fluids. It is best to use warm water or herbal teas.

Low-fiber foods: list

You should now avoid foods such as legumes, whole grain products and raw vegetables in particular. Suitable foods are e.g.:
White bread or rolls
mixed bread
zwieback
Noodles (not whole grain!)
white rice
Cornflakes (not whole grain)
bananas
stewed fruit
applesauce
Potatoes (without skin)
carrots (cooked)
Cucumbers (peeled, seedless)
zucchini
tomatoes
eggs
Dairy products
Vegetable oils (e.g. sunflower, olive and rapeseed oil)
butter

Animal products are low in fiber – but not recommended

In general, all animal products are very low in fiber. As part of a light diet, however, you should only include them in moderation or eliminate them completely, as they are often difficult to digest due to their fat content. In addition, meat and fish are anything but sustainable and should therefore only rarely be on the menu, if at all.

You should only use vegetable oils very sparingly and, for example, only add one or two teaspoons to your potato and carrot puree. Because fats are difficult to digest. If you would like to eat fruit, you should steam or boil it (except for bananas) in some fruit juice beforehand. Alternatively, you can use applesauce or other fruit puree – this is more digestible.

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Food

Fiber: Foods That Contain a Lot

Getting enough fiber is not difficult with the right foods. Our overview will help you to create a varied diet rich in fiber.

Dietary fiber – that’s why it’s so important

Although dietary fibers provide our body with hardly any nutrients and are mostly excreted undigested, they play a crucial role in our health:

Dietary fiber is particularly important for digestion, as it supports good intestinal flora, prevents constipation and stimulates digestion.
A high-fiber diet prevents colon cancer.
Fiber has a positive effect on cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Because fiber swells up in the digestive tract, it ensures that your food fills you up well and for a long time. This is how you avoid ravenous hunger attacks.
Dietary fiber is mainly found in plant foods. The German Society for Nutrition recommends consuming 30 grams of fiber per day. With a high-fiber diet, it is important to drink enough – two to two and a half liters of water and/or unsweetened tea daily are necessary so that the dietary fibers in the intestine can swell well.

High-fiber foods at a glance

If you eat a varied and balanced diet, you don’t need to worry about getting enough fiber. Most of the high-fiber foods are probably already on your daily menu:
Vegetables, especially cabbages, carrots and potatoes
Fruit and dried fruit such as apples, pears and berries
Whole grain products such as whole grain bread or pasta
Legumes such as beans and lentils
nuts and seeds
Below we take a closer look at the food categories: The lists tell you which types of fruit and vegetables provide the most fiber, which types of grain and legumes are particularly recommended, and which nuts and seeds have the highest fiber content. Last but not least, we introduce you to the superfoods among the high-fiber foods.

Animal products are not included in our overview: Not only are they a poor source of dietary fiber, they are also ecologically and ethically problematic. Eating a vegan diet is the easiest and healthiest way to get enough fiber.

Note: We researched the quantities primarily in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) database. We have not listed foods that cannot be bought in this country.

The 10 vegetables with the highest fiber content

Since vegetables consist largely of water, the fiber content is comparatively low per 100 grams. However, vegetables contain a lot of fiber per 100 kilocalories. That’s why many types of vegetables are ideal for a high-fiber diet – and provide lots of valuable vitamins, minerals and secondary plant substances.

Topinambur and potatoes lead the list here, although they contain a comparatively large number of calories. In addition, various types of beans, cabbage and other root vegetables are particularly rich in fiber.

High-fiber vegetables (values ​​per 100 grams):
Jerusalem Artichoke: 12.1 g
Potatoes: 8 g
Artichoke: 6 g
Parsnip: 5 g
Pumpkin: 5 g
Brussels sprouts: 4 g
Cabbage & Kale: 4 g
Spinach: 4g
Carrots: 3g
Cauliflower: 3g
Sweet potatoes: 3 g

Dietary fiber from fruit, berries and dried fruit

There are also some high-fiber contenders among the fruit varieties. When it comes to local fruit, apples and pears score particularly well. There are also some Mediterranean fruits with a high fiber content, such as pomegranates or citrus fruits.

Fruits rich in fiber (values ​​per 100 grams):
Passion fruit: 11 g
Avocado: 7g
Pomegranate: 4 g
Olives: 3 g
Pears: 3 g
Kiwis: 3 g
Figs: 3 g
Apples: 3 g
Limonene: 3 g
Bananas: 3 g
Berries in particular provide a lot of dietary fiber. The good thing about this: All of the frontrunners on the list also grow here in Germany.

High-fiber berries (values ​​per 100 grams):
Elderberries: 7 g
Raspberries: 7 g
Blackberries: 5 g
Blueberries: 5 g
Currants: 4 g
Gooseberries: 4 g
Cranberries: 4 g

Fruit, like vegetables, consists largely of water. Therefore, dried fruit has significantly more dietary fiber per 100 grams than fresh fruit. It is not without reason that prunes are considered a tried and tested remedy for constipation. Since dried fruits contain a lot of sugar, you should eat them sparingly.

High-fiber dried fruit (values ​​per 100 grams):
Goji berries: 13 g
Bananas: 10g
Figs: 10 g
Apples: 9 g
Peaches: 9 g
Dates: 8 g
Pears: 8 g
Apricots: 7 g
Plums: 7 g
Raisins: 7 g

Grain products and flours with the most fiber

Grains should not be missing from a diet with high-fiber foods. However, it is important that you use whole grain products or unpeeled grain seeds, as most of the fiber is in the germ and the shell. You can also buy the grain shells, called bran, separately and add them to your muesli, for example.

High-fiber grains and pseudo-grains (values ​​per 100 grams, in uncooked form):
Corn bran: 79 g
Wheat bran: 43 g
Rice bran: 21 g
Barley: 17 g
Oat bran: 15 g
Rye: 15 g
Wheat and wheat germ: 13 g
Spelled: 11 g
Oats: 11 g
Buckwheat: 10 g
Millet: 9 g
Corn: 7 g
Quinoa: 7g
Amaranth: 7 g
Wild rice: 6 g

Whether you want to buy good high-fiber bread from the bakery or want to bake a healthy cake, whole wheat flour is always a better option. While whole wheat flour contains eleven percent fiber, wheat flour type 550 consists of just four percent fiber.

High-fiber flours (values ​​per 100 grams):
Rye flour, grist: 14 g
Wheat flour, whole grain: 11 g
Barley flour, whole grain: 10 g
Buckwheat flour, whole grain: 10 g
Spelled flour, whole grain, 8 g
Corn flour, whole grain: 7 g
Oatmeal, whole grain: 6 – 9 g
Rice flour, whole grain: 5 g
Millet flour, whole grain: 4 g
Wheat flour, white flour: 4 g

Fiber in legumes – the 15 best foods

Beans, peas, lentils: legumes still rarely end up on the plate in this country. There is a lot to be said for them – including their high fiber content. The list is headed by various types of beans, closely followed by green peas and chickpeas. But red and brown lentils also have a very high fiber content. It is important to remember that the values ​​apply to the food in uncooked form. For example, dried peas have 22 grams of fiber per 100 grams, but cooked ones “only” have a proportion of eight grams – because they absorbed water during cooking.

High-fiber legumes (values ​​per 100 grams, in uncooked form):
Helmet beans: 26 g
Snap beans: 25 g
Broad beans: 25 g
Kidney beans: 25 g
White beans: 25 g
Green peas: 22 g
Lima beans: 19 g
Lupins: 19 g
Mung beans: 18 g
Black beans: 16 g
Pigeon peas: 15 g
Chickpeas: 12 g
Lentils: 11 g
Cowpeas: 11 g
Soybeans: 9 g

Nuts and seeds – Good sources of fiber

Last but not least, when it comes to the foods richest in fiber, nuts and seeds cannot be left out. Most kernels, nuts and seeds contain a lot of fiber – but also a lot of calories and fat. Therefore, you should only consume them in moderation.

Fiber-rich seeds and nuts (values ​​per 100 grams):
Chia seeds: 34 g
Flaxseed: 27 g
Pumpkin seeds: 18 g
Almonds: 14 g
Sesame seeds: 12 g
Sunflower seeds: 11 g
Pine nuts: 11 g
Pistachios: 11 g
Hazelnuts: 10 g
Pecans: 10 g
Macadamia nuts: 9 g
Walnuts: 8 g
Sweet chestnuts: 5 g
Hemp seeds: 4 g
Cashew nuts: 3 g

Superfoods: The pinnacle of dietary fiber

In the following list you will find the most high-fiber foods of all. In addition to the already mentioned representatives such as flax and chia seeds, you will also find some unexpected foods here, such as spices and cocoa powder. Not all of the foods on this list are therefore viable for meeting the daily fiber requirement.

Foods with the highest fiber content (values per 100 grams):
Bran: corn bran 79 g, wheat bran 43 g
Binding agents such as guar gum & locust bean gum 77 g
Judas ear (mushroom) 70 g
Flea seed shells 70 g
Spices: curry powder & cinnamon 53 g, savory 45 g, rosemary & oregano 43 g and much more.
carob flour 40 g
Cocoa powder 37 g
Chia seeds 34 g
Flaxseed 27 g
Rose hips 24 g

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