Top 10 High Fibre Foods
All plant-based foods have fiber in varying amounts and most lists you’ll find will take into account how nutrient-dense the foods are in addition to how much fiber they have. However, I feel that it’s such a short list to meet both of those latter criteria and we need to eat and have a variety in our diets. The list I have here is more of a category type list. There are several choices in each category giving you more options and hopefully, you’ll find several foods you really like to include in your diet on an ongoing basis. Variety in all our food choices is important, including fiber. Change things up so that you can benefit from all the different types of fiber that are available to us.
As always, these foods should ideally be eaten in their natural form, not processed and free from pesticides, herbicides, chemicals and are toxin-free.
My Top 10 High Fibre Food Groupings:
1. Berries: Raspberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Strawberries, Cranberries
2. Greens: Beet, Spinach, Romaine lettuce
3. Cruciferous vegetables: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Collard Greens, Mustard Greens, Kale, Bok Choy, Swiss Chard
4. Lentils & Beans – Navy, Pinto, Black, Lima, Garbanzo (chickpeas), Kidney, Dried Peas
Lectin Contains Foods: Beans, Legumes, and Nightshades
According to Dr. Steven Gundry, lectin-containing foods can be problematic for some people. Lectins are a plant-based protein found that can cause symptoms similar to gluten intolerance. If you feel you have issues with digesting lectin contains foods, you should avoid them completely or at least avoid them as much as possible. See the full story on lectins.
Foods high in lectins include wheat, beans, legumes, soy &soy products, peanuts and some nightshade foods such as potatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes.
To learn more about how to remove lectins by cooking, see 5 Ways to Reduce or Remove Lectins From Your Favorite Foods
6. Vegetables: Green Peas, Green Beans, Carrot, Fennel, Asparagus, Tomato, Eggplant, Potato, Sweet potato
7. Squash: Winter, Summer, Acorn
8. Grains: Whole wheat, Rye, Oat, Buckwheat, Barley, Brown rice
9. Fruit: Pear, Avocado, Papaya, Apple, Orange, Banana, Pineapple, Kiwi, Figs
Just a word about psyllium fibre
Often, psyllium is recommended to increase our fibre in a quick and easy way, however, you should be aware that it can cause digestive distress especially when you first start taking it. You should also be aware that it is extremely important to drink enough water throughout the day if you are going to take psyllium. Start slow with small doses and work up to a full dose. And if you find that you never feel really well when taking psyllium, it’s not for you. If this is the case try using ground flaxseed instead as an easy addition of fiber to your daily routine.
Basic Dose and How to use Psyllium:
Week 1: 1 teaspoon 1x per day with 8oz (250ml or 1 cup) of water
Week 2: 1 teaspoon 2x per day with 8oz (250ml or 1 cup) of water
Week 3: 1 teaspoon 3x per day with 8oz (250ml or 1 cup) of water
The total amount of water required per day: 8 cups or 2 liters
For more information and nutritional data:
More food data on fiber-rich foods
