Fiber is one of nature’s powerful micronutrients. Its comprised of two different types:
Soluble Fiber & Insoluble Fiber
Soluble Fiber (dissolves in water) creates a gel like substance and Insoluble as the names suggests… does not dissolve. In fact, Insoluble fiber absorbs water and other fluids like a sponge in order to make you guessed it… your poop.
All of this magic happens because Fiber isn’t able to be absorbed (as nutrients) into the body. Kind of like the time your dog swallowed that plastic chew toy… which we later find expelled out the other end with joy … expect this “chew toy” has some awesome health befits.
As the fiber breaks down … what goes in, alas must come out. This is why you’ll see the term “Net Carbs”. If for example a piece of bread has 23 grams of carbohydrates and 7 grams of fiber… 23-7= 16 net carbs. But… It does take the body energy to pass it through the system so always be careful of this term.
Why do I care about all of this, and what’s in it for me:
Lots of things- but for our purpose we are going to concentrate on 2 different benefits and how to choose which fiber you want to be concerned with:
1. CHOLESTEROL= SOLUBLE FIBER
2. CONSTIPATION= INSOLUBLE FIBER
Unfortunately, several folks need to get their cholesterol under control, meanwhile some of us just need help pooping~
Soluble fiber (remember that gel like substance) helps to line the small intestine and bind with cholesterol particles so they can’t get absorbed into the blood steam. So… when we increase our Soluble fiber it’s like having your very own personal bodyguard kicking out all of the cholesterol troublemakers.
Insoluble Fiber acts like your very own personal housekeeper… walking behind you picking up after you and taking out the trash.
All of these benefits sound great… but unfortunately, we can’t overnight just start eating tons of fiber. Your system needs to adjust accordingly. Eating too much fiber in one digestion setting can bloat you, give you gas, and make you uncomfortable. This is why we want to traditionally spread our fiber intake throughout the day with smaller meals. The current nutritional guideline for the average human is roughly 25 grams of fiber a day. Below is a ranked order of the highest fiber foods which I recommend daily (in conjunction with a balanced macro nutrient meal plan) to help keep a healthy metabolism, keep you regular and rebalance your good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol:
Navy Beans | 1 cup | 19g |
White beans, small, cooked | 1 Cup | 19g |
Yellow beans, cooked | 1 Cup | 18g |
Adzuki beans, cooked | 1 Cup | 17g |
Black turtle soup beans, cooked | 1 Cup | 17g |
French beans, cooked | 1 Cup | 17g |
Adzuki beans, cooked | 1 Cup | 17g |
Lentils, Cooked | 1 Cup | 16g |
Cranberry beans, cooked | 1 Cup | 16g |
Kidney beans, cooked | 1 Cup | 16g |
Peas, split, cooked | 1 Cup | 16g |
Black beans, cooked | 1 Cup | 15g |
Mung beans, cooked | 1 | 15g |
Pinto beans, cooked | 15g | |
Lima beans, cooked | 1 Cup | 14g |
Fiber One Bran Cereal | 1/2 Cup | 14g |
Peas, green, frozen | 1 Cup | 14g |
Garbanzo beans, cooked | 1 Cup | 12g |
Oat Bran, Raw | 1 Oz | 12g |
Wheat Bran, Raw | 1 Oz | 12g |
Pinon Nuts | 1 oz | 12g |
Cow peas (blackeyes), cooked | 1 Cup | 11g |
Breadfruit | 1 Cup | 11g |
Elderberries, raw | 1 Cup | 10g |
All-Bran Cereal | 1/2 Cup | 10g |
Fava Beans, Cooked | 1 Cup | 9g |
Fiber One Chewy Bars | 1 Bar | 9g |
Pigeon peas, cooked | 1 Cup | 9g |
Acorn Squash, cooked | 1 Cup | 9g |
Guava, Raw | 1 Cup | 9g |
Avocado, Raw | 1/2 Fruit | 9g |
Raspberries, Raw | 1 Cup | 8g |
Loganberries, Frozen | 1 Cup | 8g |