5 Tasty Ways to Enjoy Fiber in Your Diet

Did you know the average American only gets about half of their fiber intake, and that the recommended amount for women is up to 25 grams of fiber per day and 38 grams for men?

It might seem like a lot but, fortunately, a plant-based diet is a fantastic way to make sure you’re not only getting enough fiber, but also enjoying good, beneficial sources of fiber.

Especially when you consider plant-based eating to be a great source for dietary fiber (fiber found naturally in foods), as opposed to functional fiber, which is fiber extracted from whole foods and added to processed foods.

While natural, plant-based foods are a good (and delicious) source of fiber, the amounts in each vary. This makes it important to not just eat plant foods, but also to eat a good variety, mixing up your fiber sources to be sure you’re getting the most from your meals.

For example, beans are a good source of fiber, but if your plant-based diet consists of mostly beans, the fermentable fiber found in them can result in excess gas and stomach pains. Not fun.

That’s why it’s important to not only look for tasty ways to get good fiber, but also to balance different sources of fiber in your plant-based meals and snacks.

So let’s look at 5 different go-to sources for finding good fiber:

Is there a more refreshing way to get a mix of fiber than eating a tasty mix of fresh fruits? Well, that might be up to personal preference, but that doesn’t change the fact that fruit is filled with fiber. There are plenty of fruits to choose from too. Apples can give you around 4 grams, pears can give you 5 grams, while raspberries can give you up to 8 grams of fiber per cup.

And if you’re looking to live more responsibly while increasing your fiber intake, shop seasonally. It’s a more sustainable (and flavorful) way to eat.

Our favorite way to get more fiber is with vegetables (yes, we’re biased). Vegetables are a staple in just about every diet so it should be no surprise they’ve made our list. Veggies like carrots and beets are filled with fiber. Beets give you 3.8 grams of fiber per cup and carrots get you 3.6 grams, which is very high considering their low calorie count!

We all turn to salads as a great source for dietary fiber, but maybe your go-to dish seems to be lacking a fiber-filled ingredient. So go nuts! And by that we mean add in some nuts, or seeds, to your meal. Most nuts are packed full of nutrients from healthy fats to fiber. Snacking on just 1 ounce of almonds gives you 3.5 grams of fiber and 1 ounce of chia seeds gets you 10 grams of fiber.

It should be no surprise that beans are on our list. Beans are a tasty way to boost your fiber intake while enjoying the flavor of the food you’re eating. Beans are full of fiber; 1 cup of baked beans has 10 grams of fiber while black beans have 15 grams of fiber per cup. Absolutely incredible and tasty.