Top 13 Fiber-Rich Foods for Better Digestion & Health – Sharon Palmer, The Plant Powered Dietitian

Discover the top 13 high-fiber foods for better digestion, heart health, and energy—plus expert nutrition advice, fiber tips, and healthy recipes!

Top 13 Fiber-Rich Foods for Better Digestion & Health (+ Expert Tips & Recipes)

If you’re looking to improve digestion, boost heart health, immune health, healthy weight, and support long-term wellness, fiber is your best friend. In this guide, I’m highlighting the top 13 fiber-rich foods backed by expert nutrition insights and practical tips to help you eat more fiber every day. From gut-loving legumes to high-fiber fruits, grains, seeds, and vegetables, this list covers it all—plus you’ll get easy, delicious high-fiber recipes to try at home. Whether you’re following a plant-based diet, eating more minimally processed foods, or simply aiming for better health, these whole food, fiber-packed options will keep you full, energized, and on track.

There are several health benefits for fiber. While you probably know that it helps promote good digestion, you may not be aware of the promising benefit that’s receiving more and more attention: fiber’s role in immune health. We know that cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity have underlying inflammatory processes. Dietary fiber may play a role to modulate the immune system and therefore decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity. Learn more about the benefits of fiber here. 

Most people are cued into fiber’s health benefits. According to an International Food Information Council survey, 86% of consumers linked fiber with a healthy digestive system and 73% associated whole grains with heart disease prevention. While people seem to have interest in fiber, the real challenge is getting enough. Plus, people tend to complain a lot about gastrointestinal issues, such as flatulence. For most, the frequent gastric distress will go away as people get accustomed to consuming more fiber. The Institute of Medicine recommends dietary fiber intake for adults aged 50 and younger of 38 grams for men and 25 grams for women, and for men and women older than 50, an intake of 30 and 21 grams, respectively. But Americans are falling seriously short of the recommended goal, with an average intake of about 15 grams per day.

Many whole plant foods are rich in different types of dietary fiber, such as pectin, gum, mucilage, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and soluble fiber. Consuming a variety of fibers is suggested to gain the maximum benefits of a high-fiber diet.

Top 13 Fiber-Rich Foods

In recognition of fiber’s benefits, I’m sharing some of the top foods, tips, and recipes to boost fiber intake, using data from the SDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.

1. Bran
One simple way to increase fiber intake is to power up on bran. Bran from many grains is very rich in dietary fiber. Oat bran is high in soluble fiber, which has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels. Wheat, corn, and rice bran are high in insoluble fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Bran can be sprinkled into your favorite foods, from hot cereal and pancakes to muffins and cookies. Many popular high-fiber cereals and bars are also packed with bran.

2. Beans
Beans (part of the pulse or legume family) really are the magical fruit. They are one of the most naturally rich sources of fiber, as well as protein, lysine, vitamins, and minerals, in the plant kingdom. It’s no wonder so many Indigenous diets include a bean or two in the mix. Some people experience intestinal gas and discomfort associated with bean intake, so they may be better off slowly introducing beans into their diet. Try a variety of beans as an animal protein replacement in stews, side dishes, salads, soups, casseroles, and dips.

3. Berries
Jewel-like berries are in the spotlight due to their antioxidant power, but let’s not forget about their fiber bonus. Berries happen to yield one of the best fiber-per-calorie bargains on the planet. Since berries are packed with tiny seeds, their fiber content is typically higher than that of many fruits. Enjoy berries year-round by making the most of local berries in the summer and eating frozen, preserved, and dried berries during the other seasons. Berries make great toppings for breakfast cereal, yogurt, salads, and desserts.

4. Whole Grains
One of the easiest ways to up fiber intake is to focus on whole grains. A whole grain is essentially the entire seed of the plant made up of the bran, germ, and endosperm. Refining the grain removes the germ and the bran; thus, fiber, protein, and other key nutrients are lost. The Whole Grains Council recognizes a variety of grains and defines whole grains or foods made from them as containing all the essential parts and naturally-occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed. If the grain has been processed, the food product should deliver approximately the same rich balance of nutrients that are found in the original grain seed. Choose different whole grains, such as quinoa, millet, brown rice, oats, sorghum, and teff, as features in side dishes, pilafs, salads, breads, crackers, snacks, and desserts.

5. Sweet Peas
Peas, from fresh green peas to dried peas and split peas, are naturally chock full of fiber. In fact, pea fiber has become a popular functional food ingredient in many products today. Make the most of peas by using fresh or frozen green peas and dried peas in soups, stews, side dishes, casseroles, salads, and dips.

6. Leafy Greens
Deep green, leafy vegetables are notoriously rich in beta-carotene, vitamins, and minerals, but their fiber content isn’t too shabby either. There are more than 1,000 species of plants with edible leaves, many with similar nutritional attributes, including high-fiber content. While many leafy greens are fabulous tossed in salads, sautéing them in olive oil, garlic, lemon, and herbs brings out a rich flavor, too.

7. Nuts and Seeds
Go nuts to pack a fiber punch! One ounce of nuts and seeds, such as walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, and hemp seeds, can provide a hearty contribution to the day’s fiber recommendation, along with a bonus of healthy fats, protein, and phytochemicals. Sprinkling a handful of nuts or seeds over breakfast cereals, yogurt, salads, and desserts is a tasty way to do fiber.

8. Squash
Dishing up squash, from summer (zucchini, yellow squash) to winter squash (butternut, pumpkin, delicata), all year is another way that you can ratchet up your fiber intake. These nutritious gems are part of the gourd family and contribute a variety of flavors, textures, and colors, as well as fiber, vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids, to the dinner plate. Squash can be turned into soups, stews, side dishes, casseroles, salads, and crudités. Brush squash with olive oil and grill it for a healthy flavorful accompaniment.

9. Cruciferous Veggies
Cruciferous (also known as Brassica) vegetables have been studied for their cancer-protective effects associated with high levels of glucosinolates. But these brassy beauties, including broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts, are also full of fiber. They can be enjoyed in stir-fries, casseroles, soups, and salads and steamed as a side dish.

10. Potatoes
The humble spud, the top vegetable crop in the world, is plump with fiber. Since potatoes are so popular in America, they’re an easy way to help pump up your fiber potential. Why stop at Russets? There are numerous potatoes that can provide a rainbow of colors, nutrients, and flavors, and remember to eat the skins to reap the greatest fiber rewards. Try adding cooked potatoes with skins to salads, stews, soups, side dishes, stir-fries, and casseroles or simply enjoy baked potatoes more often.

11. Fruit
Look no further than everyday fruits to realize your full fiber potential. Many are naturally packed with fiber, as well as other important vitamins and minerals. Maybe the doctor was right when he advised an apple a day, but he could have added pears, oranges, and bananas to the prescription as well. When between fruit seasons, seasons, rely on dried fruits to further fortify your diet. Include fruit at breakfast. Include fruit at breakfast each morning instead of juice; mix dried fruits into cereals, yogurts, and salads; and reach for the fruit bowl at snack time. It’s a healthy habit all the way around.

12. Less Familiar Fruits and Veggies
Some of the plants with the highest fiber content in the world may be slightly out of your comfort zone and, for that matter, time zone. A rainbow of Indigenous fruits and vegetables used in cultural food traditions around the globe are very high in fiber. Introduce a few new plant foods into your diet to push up the flavor, as well as fiber, quotient.

13. Fiber Fortification 
More foods, from juice to yogurt, are including fiber fortification in their ingredient lineup. Such foods may help busy people achieve their fiber goals. As consumer interest in foods with functional benefits, such as digestive health and cardiovascular protection, continues to grow, expect to see an even greater supply of food products promoting fiber content on supermarket shelves.

*Fiber information per manufacturer

Main Image: Blueberry Buckwheat Groats Bowl with Rosemary Balsamic Vinaigrette

Learn More About Fiber:

Get the Benefits of a High Fiber Plant-Based Diet
Top Dietitian Tips for High Fiber Eating

Top 10 Fiber-Rich Recipes

Try these healthy recipes which contain good sources of fiber.

Spicy Sweet Potato Sorghum Veggie Burgers
Blueberry Lavender Granola
Vegan Summer Veggie Chili
French Wild Rice Vegetable Soup
Hummus with Green Peas
Chickpea Tabbouleh
Vegan Lentil Kofta with Tzatziki
Stuffed Avocado with Southwestern Black Beans
Provencal Bean Salad
Vegan Bolognese with Lentils and Walnuts

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