Thankfully, there are many high-fiber foods that are also low in calories. For those of you watching your weight, this is great news! Below, we’ve sourced 15 foods that are high in fiber but low in calories. Each featured food comes with a delicious recipe recommendation.
15 of the Best High-Fiber Foods for Weight Loss
1. Wheat Bran
Wheat bran is the outer covering of the wheat grain that is removed during the milling process. The bran is then packaged and sold at a low cost. It’s high in insoluble fibers, which keep you regular by passing food through your gut. Wheat bran can be added to most baked items, such as muffins and slices of bread, as well as breakfast foods like waffles and pancakes.
NOTE: Take it slow when incorporating wheat bran into your meals. It’s very high in fiber and could upset your stomach if you’re not used to a high-fiber diet.
Nutrition Info (¼ cup): 50 calories, 6 grams of fiber
2. Jicama (ˈhiːkəma)
We understand that this root vegetable looks scary, but after you peel aside its thick, bark-like exterior, you may reconsider your concerns. The flesh of the luscious, white jicama has an unique nutty bite that can be eaten uncooked. Jicama can be cut into thick matchsticks and served on a veggie dish with baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, and celery sticks. Jicama is mildly sweet and goes well with salads, salsas, and light stir-fries.
Nutrition Info (1 cup): 49 calories, 6.4 grams of fiber
3. Raspberries
Because they contain less sugar than other fruits, these summer berries are popular among individuals on a low-carb diet. Ripe raspberries are gently sweet with a tangy bite, making them ideal for yogurt, cereal, salads, desserts, or smoothies. Raspberry seeds are strong in important fatty acids, which help your immune system function properly. A powerful blender splits open the seeds, releasing the essential lipids. However, if you eat the berries whole, you’ll get fiber from the outer hull of the seeds. With raspberries, it’s a win-win situation!
Nutrition Info (1 cup): 52 calories, 6.5 grams of fiber
4. Black Beans
This high-carbohydrate component is also high in fiber, which contributes to its low glycemic index. Low glycemic index foods slowly release energy in the form of sugar. They will not produce a sudden rise in blood sugar. Beans are also high in magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Add them to burritos, quesadillas, tacos, casseroles, and chilis, or prepare the simple corn and black bean salad below.
Nutrition Info (½ cup): 109 calories, 8.3 grams of fiber
5. Spinach
Popeye the Sailor advocated for spinach, and you should, too! It has little calories but a lot of minerals like vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate, manganese, magnesium, and iron. Spinach is the most easily accessible leafy green at your local grocery shop. It can grow during the colder months, and if you can’t locate it fresh, it’s available frozen or canned. A spinach sauté is an easy method to increase fiber consumption at dinner.
Nutrition Info (1 cup): 23 calories, 2.2 grams of fiber
6. Broccoli
Popeye the Sailor advocated for spinach, and you should, too! It has little calories but a lot of minerals like vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate, manganese, magnesium, and iron. Spinach is the most easily accessible leafy green at your local grocery shop. It can grow during the colder months, and if you can’t locate it fresh, it’s available frozen or canned. A spinach sauté is an easy method to increase fiber consumption at dinner.
Nutrition Info (1 cup): 31 calories, 2.4 grams of fiber
7. Carrots
Carrots are a fiber-pressed vegetable that is likewise high in beta-carotene, a type of vitamin A that is fundamental for good wellbeing. Here is motivation to devour carrots: One cup of crude carrots contains more than 100% of your everyday requirements for vitamin A! You can nibble on child carrots dunked in hummus, or prepare the delectable carrot salad underneath for a lively supper side. Extras make an incredible sandwich filler for lunch.
Nourishment Data (1 cup): 45 calories, 3.1 grams of fiber
8. Pears
Pears are sweet and crunchy, the ideal natural product to add to plates of mixed greens! They’re a decent wellspring of L-ascorbic acid, fiber, and potassium — all supplements we ought to get a greater amount of in our eating regimens. Around 70% of the fiber in pears is insoluble and the other 30% is solvent. Dissolvable filaments assist our bodies with disposing of additional LDL (think: “awful”) cholesterol, which is gainful whether you have high blood cholesterol.
Sustenance Data (1 medium): 101 calories, 5.5 grams of fiber
9. Bulgur
Bulgur is a generous entire grain that is utilized in Center Eastern food. You’ve likely seen it utilized in tabbouleh, a serving of mixed greens made with bulgur, tomatoes, parsley, onion, and lemon juice. Bulgar is not difficult to prepare — you could actually absorb bulgur water as opposed to cooking it! Simply add one cup of bubbling water to one cup of bulgur and allowed it to represent one hour prior to blending it into the plate of mixed greens. Since it’s profoundly spongy, bulgur is really great for reinforcing soups and stews like the veggie lover stew beneath.
Nourishment Data (½ cup): 76 calories, 4.1 grams of fiber
10. Spaghetti Squash
This gourd is consistent with its name — once cooked, you can utilize a fork to chip off lengthy, noodle-like strands from spaghetti squash. This delectable, somewhat sweet vegetable supplements the corrosive in a marinara sauce and is #1 among the people who follow a low-carb eating plan. Spaghetti squash likewise conveys a decent portion of fiber compared with its low-carbohydrate content.
Sustenance Data (1 cup): 42 calories, 2.2 grams of fiber
11. Lima Beans
Lima beans have a rich, rich surface procuring them the moniker spread beans. This high-fiber fixing has a rich history tracing all the way back to the old Mochica individuals off the northern shore of Peru. Lima beans can be found in your supermarket’s frozen food or canned food segment. These beans are perfect in soups and sauté. We suggest cooking them completely since crude lima beans contain cyanide, which scatters from the beans when cooked.
Nourishment Data (½ cup): 105 calories, 4.6 grams of fiber
12. Grain
Delicate, pillowy grain is a go-to grain for soups, stews, grain plates of mixed greens, and, surprisingly, a refined dish like risotto! Hulled grain holds the wheat, a layer that contains fiber and B nutrients. Pearled grain has been finished its wheat. While it’s lower in fiber, it’s a superior decision for risotto since more starch is presented to cook out into a velvety soup. All things considered, the risotto beneath provisions 16 grams of fiber for each serving from a blend of grain, edamame, and peas.
Sustenance Data (½ cup): 97 calories, 3 grams of fiber
13. Canned Pumpkin
Canned pumpkin is loaded with the same amount of vitamin A, potassium, and iron as its new partner however it’s simpler to find. Fun truth: canned pumpkin isn’t really 100% pumpkin. Most brands cut the pumpkin puree with different assortments of winter squash, which are less wiry and comparably nutritious. Stock up on this high-fiber fixing throughout the fall, and you can utilize everything season. Stuff pumpkin into ravioli, slip it into macintosh and cheddar, or make a portion of consoling pumpkin bread with the recipe beneath.
Sustenance Data (½ cup): 42 calories, 3.6 grams of fiber
14. Okra
Okra is #1 in Southern food. It’s wealthy in fiber, however okra contains adhesive which makes it vile and difficult to accept for some. A stunt to lessen the foulness is to absorb okra vinegar for an hour prior to cooking. Heat additionally eliminates ooze — you can pre-cook okra prior to adding it to your recipe through whitening, barbecuing, simmering, or sautéing.
Sustenance Data (1 cup): 33 calories, 3.2 grams of fiber
15. Cereal
Need a morning meal thought to supplant your sweet oat? We have quite recently the high-fiber trade: oats. Oats contain a unique fiber called beta-glucan which can further develop blood cholesterol and glucose. You can rapidly microwave oats for a hot breakfast or allow them to sit in yogurt short-term for a rich group of for the time being oats. In only 15 minutes, you can make a strawberry banana muesli, a heated oat dish that is nutty and fulfilling.
Sustenance Data (1 cup, dry): 155 calories, 4.1 grams of fiber