Foods Rich in Dietary Fiber

As a general rule, all plant foods contain variable quantities of dietary fiber, both soluble and unsoluble, with leaf vegetables typically containing more unsoluble fiber, and starchy plants and legumes containing more soluble fiber.

Here's a handy list of common high-fiber foods, compiled from the USDA National Nutrient Database, to help you find high-fiber alternatives at a glance:

• one-half cup cooked navy beans - 9.5 g
• one-half cup baked beans, canned – 9 g
• one-half cup cooked lentils – 7.8 g
• one-half cup cooked black beans – 7.5 g
• one-half cup dates – 7.1 g
• one cup raisin bran cereal – 7 g
• one-half cup cooked kidney beans – 6.5 g
• one-half cup cooked lima beans – 6.7 g
• one-half cup canned tomato paste – 5.9 g
• one-half cup cooked garbanzo beans – 6.2 g
• one-half cup bean with ham soup – 5.6 g
• one-half cup frozen red raspberries – 5.5 g
• one medium bran muffin – 5 g
• one-half Asian pear – 5 g
• one-half cup cooked artichoke – 4.5 g
• one-half cup frozen peas, cooked – 4.4 g
• one cup oatmeal – 4 g
• one-half cup frozen mixed vegetables, cooked – 4 g
• one-half cup raw blackberries – 3.8 g
• one-half cup canned pumpkin – 3.5 g
• one-half cup cooked whole-wheat spaghetti – 3.4 g
• 24 almonds – 3.3 g
• one apple with skin – 3.3 g
• one-half cup cooked barley 3 g
• one cup broccoli – 2.4 g
• one red sweet pepper – 2.4 g
• one nectarine – 2.3 g
• 28 peanuts – 2.3 g
• one slice whole grain bread – 2 g
• 15 walnut halves – 2 g

A more useful version of lists of high-fiber foods has been compiled by Worlds' Healthiest Foods, with a handy food rating system, based on the nutrient (fiber) density of the item: each food is ranked as either an excellent, very good, or good source of fiber.

The table also contains the serving size used to calculate the nutrient composition, the total calories in that serving, the average amount of calories contained in a standard serving size for that food, the percentage of the recommended daily value (DV%) and the nutrient density. Most of the ratings follow the government standards for food labeling that are found in the FDA's Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling.