Dietary fiber is an important part of a balanced, healthy diet. You can find fibers in a variety of food sources, though there are two types of dietary fiber: insoluble and soluble fibers.
Insoluble fibers doesn’t absorb water, while soluble fibers absorb waters as it slows digestion. Both types of fibers have shown to reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.
Best Soluble Fiber Foods
1. Grain
Grain sources include rice, corn, cereal, wheat and oats, breads, and pasta.
Whole grains are products having the entire grain, while refined grains are those that have been milled.
Refined grains don’t have fiber unlike whole grains.
A variety of whole grain intake ensures that you can also get a good source of different nutrients.
2. Beans
Beans are also loaded with healthy soluble fibers. In particular, pinto beans are high in fiber and offer a fat-free protein packed meal.
The high fiber content will be helpful in lowering cholesterol, reducing blood sugar levels, making it diabetic-friendly.
3. Pears
Pears are an excellent source of fiber. A medium sized pear can provide around 3.3 grams of soluble fiber and 2.2 grams of insoluble fiber.
You can lower your cholesterol levels by eating 1 or 2 decent sized pears a day for a total of 3-6 grams a day.
4. Spinach
Spinach is known for its high levels of iron, however it is also high in soluble fiber.
Soluble fiber can be found in many of the best green vegetables.
With spinach, a single serving of raw spinach has about 0.8 grams of soluble fiber. Raw vegetables always offer more fiber compared to cooked ones.
5. Grapefruit
Grapefruit is one of the foods that contain the most soluble fiber. We need about 20 grams of fiber per day for digestion alone.
The grapefruit can actually provide us with 12 grams of dietary fiber!
The delicious fruit also offer additional benefits such as lowering cholesterol levels and reducing risk for prostate cancer in males.
6. Pineapple
Pineapple is packed with a total of 21.7 grams of carbs. About 2.3 grams of it is dietary fiber, providing roughly 6-11% of our daily dietary fiber needs.
The majority of the fiber in pineapple is insoluble, however it does provide a suitable amount of soluble fiber.
7. Brussels Sprouts
One Brussels sprout contains 0.7 grams of dietary fiber, and one serving of raw sprouts provides 3.3 grams of fiber.
One cup (5 Brussels sprouts) can provide enough dietary fiber to cover 13% of your total fiber intake needs.
8. Kale
Kale is unique in its flavor and texture.
As we seek to learn more about it, kale has quickly become one of the leading sources for a nutritious diet in America.
Kale is high in fiber, totaling out at 5 grams, and has no fat whatsoever!
9. Squash
Yellow squash is not only delicious, but very healthy.
They are rich in vitamins, and packed with significant amount of fiber to help with your digestion process.
10. Peaches
Peaches are commonly used for added sweetening and weight control.
However, the fruit is also filled with many important vitamins and minerals, including fiber.
A large peach has about 3 grams of fiber, providing a resource of fiber for us throughout the day.
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This recipe looks awesome!!! Since I don’t use grain flour, do you think almond or coconut flour would work well as a substitute? Thanks!