Chris, what is the most underrated nutrient?  

So, glad you asked.  

I think fiber is the most underrated nutrient; on average, most Americans are horrible at getting enough in their diet.  

When I talk about fiber, I don’t mean the day-old bran muffin you accidentally grabbed at Starbucks. Sorry, that happened to you; blueberry muffins taste way better. 

Let’s talk about fiber, why you need it, and 30 different high-fiber foods you can try.  

What Is Fiber? 

If we take a minute to get sciencey, there are specific types of carbohydrates the body can more easily turn into sugar molecules, called glucose. Fiber does not break down into sugar molecules and therefore passes through the body undigested. 

You can call fiber “nature’s broom.” 

There are two types of fiber in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.  

Soluble or fermentable fibers are fermented in the colon. 

Insoluble fibers have bulking action and ferment for a shorter period. 

Soluble fibers will dissolve in water (plant pectins), and insoluble fiber will not dissolve in water (plant cellulose and hemicellulose).  

Both types of fiber take more time for the body to digest properly, which is why adding fiber to your diet can be helpful for hunger and fullness between meals.  

Not to mention most high-fiber foods are unprocessed, low calorie, and nutrient-dense. 

As the body digests soluble fiber, it creates a gel-like substance that might improve digestion. Sources of soluble fiber are oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley, and psyllium.

Insoluble fiber soaks up water which helps to make it easier to poop. Sources of soluble fiber are beans, whole wheat or bran products, green beans, potatoes, cauliflower, and nuts.

Consuming enough fiber has been shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and certain gastrointestinal diseases.

How Much Fiber Should You Have? 

The adage that too much of anything can’t be good applies to fiber. 

When someone starts overconsuming fiber to become “healthy” after watching a Tiktok video on creating the ultimate fiber drink, they usually end up bloated, gassy, and constipated. Ironic, huh? 

Getting more fiber in your diet is good, but going from zero to 150 isn’t your best bet.  

So, my eager beaver friend, I would try to stick to these dietary guidelines:

Adult Men: 36 g/day 

Adult Women: 28g/day 

Most Americans consume less than half of the recommended amount of fiber.  

Earlier I made fun of the person drinking the Tiktok fiber bomb beverage, and now I want to apologize.  They are just trying to get more fiber in their diet.

You can drink a fiber supplement if you have difficulty hitting the daily recommended amount; however, the phytonutrients & micronutrients are usually missing from those supplements.

Don’t worry. 

Keep reading. 

I’ve got you covered with 30 high-fiber foods you can add to your diet. 

30 High Fiber Foods 

You will find the fiber, serving size, and calories for each food.

Fruit

Raspberries: 

• 1 cup 
• 8g fiber 
• 64 calories 

Avocado: 

• 1 cup 
• 9.8g fiber 
• 233 calories 

Strawberries:

• 1 cup (halves) 
• 3.3g fiber
• 53 calories 

Apple: 

• 6 oz apple
• 4.3g fiber
• 93 calories

Banana:

• 6.5 oz banana 
• 3.1g fiber 
• 105 calories 

Pear:

• 7 oz pear 
• 5.5g fiber 
• 103 calories

Blackberries:

• 1 cup 
• 7.6g fiber
• 62 calories

Vegetables

Carrots: 

• 1 cup chopped
• 3.6g fiber 
• 52 calories 

Green Peas:

• 1 cup raw
• 7.4g fiber
• 117 calories 

Broccoli:

• 1 cup chopped raw
• 2.4g fiber 
• 31 calories 

Brussel Sprouts:

• 1 cup raw
• 3.3g fiber
• 38 calories 

Beets:

• 1 cup sliced boiled
• 1.7g fiber 
• 37 calories 

 Artichokes: 

• 5.6 oz
• 8.6g fiber 
• 75 calories 

Sweet Potato:

• 3.9 oz baked 
• 3.7g fiber 
• 100 calories 

Legumes

Split peas:

• 1 cup boiled
• 16.3g fiber
• 231 calories 

Lentils: 

• 1 cup boiled 
• 15.6g fiber
• 229 calories 

Kidney beans:

• 1 cup canned 
• 11g fiber
• 210 calories 

Black Beans:

• 1 cup boiled
• 15g fiber 
• 227 calories 

Lima Beans:

• 1 cup boiled
• 14g fiber
• 229 calories

Garbanzo Beans

• 1 cup boiled
• 12.5g fiber
• 269 calories

Seeds

Chia seeds:

• 2 tablespoons
• 10g fiber
• 130 calories 

Almonds: 

• 1/4 cup slices
• 2.7g fiber
• 133 calories

Sunflower seeds:

• 1/4 cup 
• 1.2g fiber 
• 65 calories 

Pumpkin seeds:

• 1/4 cup 
• 1.9g fiber
• 169 calories 

Grains

Barley:

• 1 cup cooked
• 8.6g fiber
• 193 calories

Bran Flakes:

• 1 cup 
• 7g fiber
• 110 calories  

Quinoa:

• 1 cup cooked
• 5.2g fiber
• 222 calories 

Oatmeal:

• 1/2 cup cooked 
• 4.1g fiber
• 154 calories  

Popcorn: 

• 1 cup plain
• 1.2g fiber
• 31 calories 

Brown rice:

• 1/2 cup steamed
• 1.6g fiber
• 124 calories

Mission, Carb Balance, Whole Wheat Tortilla 

• 1 tortilla 
• 23g fiber 
• 110 calories 

May you live a long life full of many poops. 

I hope you will consider the many health benefits of having fiber in your diet.  

There are so many diets that people try to follow; one, in particular, suggests removing fiber altogether from your diet.  

If you follow that diet, I suggest you consider the long-term effects and ask yourself if you genuinely enjoy having horrible poops.  

If you answered yes, this article was a complete waste of your time. 

If you answered no, I think you wisely spent your time. 😉

Social media is the wild wild west of nutrition and if you’re confused, shoot me a message on the gram. 

If you want to take the guesswork out of your nutrition, I can help you. Click here to learn more about my 1:1 coaching services.