High Fiber Foods List

A Super Helpful List of Foods High in Fiber

Have you eaten enough high-fiber foods today?

If you’re like most 21st-century humans, you haven’t.

And that’s a problem if you’re trying to lose weight, because foods high in fiber are essential for weight loss.

The Full Plate Fiber Guide is a free, easy-to-use resource we’ve created to help you discover the foods high in fiber so you can eat more of them and start losing weight.

Why Eating More High-fiber Foods Makes Losing Weight Easier

Fiber makes you feel full.

Add fiber to your meals, and you’ll eat fewer calories. Consume fewer calories than you burn, and you’ll lose weight. It’s that simple.

Most diets fail because they ask you to eat smaller portions of food instead of changing the kinds of food you’re eating.

Increase the amount of fiber in your diet, and you’ll have less room for the concentrated, high-calorie foods that make you overweight.

The key is adding more high-fiber foods to what you already eat.

Which high fiber foods are the best for weight loss?

Naturally high fiber foods.

Foods like blueberries, bananas, sweet potatoes, and pinto beans.

Adding more apples and carrots to what you already eat will help you lose weight because these foods are naturally high in fiber.

CAUTION: But not all high fiber foods are created equal.

Many food manufacturers have jumped on the high fiber bandwagon, adding fiber to highly processed foods that come in boxes.

We’re not calling these foods bad.

But as a general rule, adding processed high fiber foods to what you eat won’t fill you up or help you lose weight.

Soluble vs. Insoluble Fiber: What's the Difference?

There are two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble. This confuses some people who are trying to eat more fiber because they want to make sure they’re eating the right kind.

Here’s the good news: your body needs both.

More good news? Almost all plant foods contain a mixture of the two.

That means if you follow the Full Plate Living Approach (and fill 75% of your plate with fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains), you probably won’t need to worry about soluble vs. insoluble fiber.

However, it can be interesting to learn about the different ways these fibers help your body.

Soluble fiber

Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel during digestion.

This gel does a lot for your body, including:

• Lowering LDL cholesterol
• Evening out blood sugar levels
• Keeping you full longer
• Fueling beneficial gut bacteria

Insoluble fiber

Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. It passes through your digestive tract largely intact, empowering it to:

• Add bulk to your stool
• Keep things moving through your intestines
• Support your overall digestive function

Where fiber lives on your plate

Fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains all contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, but the ratio shifts depending on the food. If you’re chasing specific health goals, this chart can help you prioritize the type of fiber you’ll need.

Here are a few final things to keep in mind…

• Your body needs both types of fiber to function optimally.
• Nuts and seeds contain both kinds of fiber, but there’s a catch.

The relatively low water content in nuts and seeds means you won’t want to fill your plate with them. Think of them as a healthy snack.

In many foods, especially fruits, much of the fiber is hiding in the skin.

You can lose 1/3 to 1/2 of the fiber by peeling your fruits and veggies!

Eating these foods whole is a smart, easy way to up your fiber intake and retain more of the nutrients naturally found in these foods.

How to use this guide

We’ve listed the foods featured in the fiber guide into five categories.

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Grains
• Beans & Peas
• *Nuts & Seeds (*Ideal in small amounts)

As you’ll soon see, a high fiber diet can be filled with tons of delicious foods to remember.

Would you like to have PDF version of the Full Plate Living Fiber Guide?

Click here to download the Fiber Guide PDF. This full color reference booklet will make practicing a high fiber diet easier.