Dietary fibers are known to be excellent for health, they allow in particular to absorb excess dietary fat, improve digestion with a laxative effect or even promote good absorption of vitamins and minerals. Fiber is also very useful for losing weight, because it limits the feeling of hunger (satiety).
Amount of dietary fiber
The WHO specifies that women should eat 25 g and men 30 to 40 g per day. You can get 25 g of fiber by consuming, for example, 6 to 8 servings of cereals and 8 to 10 servings of fruit or vegetables each day.
Here are 12 foods rich in dietary fibre, to help you adopt a balanced and varied diet:
- Wholemeal pasta, bread and rice
This is probably the number one potential daily source of dietary fiber, whenever you can, focus on whole foods. According to research carried out at Harvard University, eating brown rice reduces the risk of suffering from type 2 diabetes. Whole foods are always richer in fibre, but also in minerals and vitamins, than white foods. Another advantage of whole foods is that they contain little fat (lipids). It is therefore an ideal diet for losing weight (low lipid content and high fiber concentration).
- Broccoli
This vegetable from the Brassicaceae family also contains fiber, calcium, vitamin A, C and antioxidant molecules with a preventive effect on cancer, especially colorectal cancer. A cup of cooked broccoli contains about 3.5 g of fiber. Broccoli does not contain cholesterol, like all vegetables.
Cauliflower is a vegetable of the same family with similar effects, it also contains a significant amount of dietary fiber.
- oats
This cereal is rich in iron, calcium, protein, vitamins and soluble fiber called beta-glucan. This substance lowers LDL (bad cholesterol) and thus helps prevent cardiovascular accidents. Oat bran is the form with the most fiber, followed by rolled oats and oat flour.
- Prune.
It is perhaps the food most associated with fiber. It is indeed often used as a laxative against constipation as well as to promote intestinal transit. A plum contains on average 3.4 g of soluble fiber.
- Strawberry
This low-calorie fruit is also an excellent source of fiber. In addition, it contains antioxidant molecules and vitamins. A cup full of strawberries contains about 3g of fiber.
- Lenses
This vegetable is one of the highest fiber foods, one cup of cooked lentils contains 16g of fiber, more than half the recommended daily amount for a woman. Lentils also contain plant-based protein and iron.
- Beans
Whether green or black, these vegetables contain soluble fiber like gum as well as insoluble fiber like cellulose. Beans also contain flavonoids, protein, iron and folate.
- Apple
An excellent health food rich in pectin (a dietary fiber) as well as flavonoids and many other nutrients. A study published at the end of 2013 showed that eating an apple a day could be as effective as taking statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs) in preventing cardiovascular accidents such as stroke and myocardial infarction. Note that the pear is also rich in fiber.
- Corn.
Cereal rich in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. A cup of corn kernels contains about 4g of fiber. Note that popcorn also contains fiber, 3 cups contain about 4 g.
- Artichoke.
Plant little known for its fiber content, yet it is an excellent source of soluble fiber. A cooked artichoke contains about 10 g of fiber while a cup filled with artichoke hearts contains about 7 g.
- Raspberry.
This fruit with an excellent taste is also rich in fiber, there are 4 g per half cup.
- Bulgur.
This food is a by-product of durum wheat stripped of the bran that envelops it. It is rich in fiber, there are 4 g of fiber for 1 half cup of bulgur.
Other fiber-rich foods include soybeans, apricots, figs, flaxseeds, certain cheeses, and yogurts. For more information, ask a nutritionist for advice.
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