1. Green Peas
Peas contain about four grams of fiber per ½ cup, which is pretty powerful for such a small veggie. They’re also rather versatile. Easily add them to salads, pasta dishes, or rice bowls. You can also eat them as a side dish topped with some almond butter. Enjoy this with chicken, fish, or other entrees. If you like mashed peas, use them in dips or as spreads for toast and crackers.
Peas also contain a good amount of various vitamins that help protect your skin, eyes, and bones.
2. Avocados
Here’s another reason to love avocado toast! Each avocado has around 10 grams of fiber, so enjoy them in more ways than just on toast or as guacamole. Look for fun recipes that add flavor to smoothies and soups. Slice and place them on top of tacos, nachos, salads, rice bowls, and even with your egg breakfast in the morning. They also contain good fats that help protect your heart.
3. Beans
Beans contain a lot of fiber. Black beans, kidney beans, garbanzos — you name it. They can help you get the amount of fiber you need. For example, a cup of navy beans will give you a whopping 14 grams of fiber, which is about half of what is recommended for the whole day.
You can eat different beans every day and not repeat a meal for several weeks. Kidney beans in chili, black bean burgers, garbanzo beans in salads, veggie beans with your hot dogs, three-bean soup, and so on. They’re also a great source of protein and help lower bad cholesterol.
4. Lentils
Adding a half-cup of cooked lentils to your diet daily adds flavor and about seven grams of fiber. Lentil soup is a hearty meal, especially during the colder months, and you can also eat lentils in burritos, stews, curry sauces, salads, and burgers. Benefit from their protein and iron as well — substitute lentils for potatoes and rice for a healthy side dish with chicken or fish.
5. Almonds
Every ounce of almonds is worth three grams of fiber. Add them to your favorite trail mix or sprinkle a variety of toppings on them, such as Himalayan salt, sriracha, wasabi, or barbecue sauce. You can also include almonds in cooked veggies such as green beans, or use them in salads and pasta dishes. Use almond butter instead of traditional butter as a low-fat, fiber-rich substitute.
6. Quinoa
If you’re cooking a meal that matches with rice as a side dish, consider quinoa instead. To round out a healthy meal, it goes great with tofu, meat, chicken, and fish. Each cup contains over five grams of fiber and more than enough protein as well.
7. Walnuts
Just two cups of walnuts every day gets you the fiber you need for a healthy diet. Add them to cereal in the morning and salad in the evening. You can also mix them with smoothies or fiber-rich fruits like apples for a nutritious snack. In addition, they’ll benefit your heart with lots of omega-3 fats!
