Fiber
Fiber is the structural part of plant
foods that can not be digested by humans. The total fiber of a food
consists of two types: soluble fiber and insoluble fiber.
INSOLUBLE FIBER
- Found in vegetables, wheat, and cereal
- May be beneficial for:
- Constipation
- Prevention of colon cancer and diverticular disease
- Slowing the absorption of glucose
SOLUBLE FIBER
- Found in fruits, oats, barley, and legumes
- May be beneficial for:
- Lowering cholesterol
- Slowing the absorption of glucose
A total fiber daily intake of at least 20-30
grams is recommended.
Fiber Content of Selected Foods
| Grains |
|
Total Fiber (g)
|
Soluble Fiber (g) |
| Bran, Wheat, dry |
¼ cup |
6 |
Trace |
| Barley, cooked |
½ cup |
4 |
1 |
| Bulgur, cooked |
½ cup |
4 |
1 |
| Spaghetti Noodles Whole Wheat |
1 cup |
4 |
1 |
| Wheat Germ, Ready to eat |
¼ cup |
4 |
1 |
| Cracked Wheat, cooked |
½ cup |
3 |
Trace |
| Multigrain, or Granola Bread |
1 slice |
2 |
Trace |
| Rice, Brown, cooked |
½ cup |
2 |
Trace |
| Spaghetti Noodles |
1 cup |
2 |
1 |
| Whole Wheat Bread |
1 slice |
2 |
Trace |
| White Bread |
1 slice |
1 |
Trace |
| |
|
|
|
| Legumes and Nuts
|
|
Total Fiber (g)
|
Soluble Fiber (g)
|
| Lentils, cooked |
½ cup |
8 |
1 |
| Lima Beans |
½ cup |
7 |
3 |
| Beans, baked |
½ cup |
6 |
3 |
| Kidney Beans |
½ cup |
6 |
3 |
| Navy Beans |
½ cup |
6 |
2 |
| Pigeon peas, cooked |
½ cup |
6 |
1 |
| Green Peas, cooked |
½ cup |
4 |
1 |
| Peanuts, dry roasted |
¼ cup |
3 |
1 |
| Walnuts |
¼ cup |
2 |
Trace |
| Filberts, raw |
10 nuts |
1 |
Trace |
| |
|
|
|
| Fruits |
|
Total Fiber (g)
|
Soluble Fiber (g)
|
| Pear, fresh |
1 large |
5 |
3 |
| Apple, fresh |
1 medium |
4 |
1 |
| Blueberries, fresh |
1 cup |
4 |
Trace |
| Plum, fresh |
5 small |
4 |
2 |
| Strawberries, fresh |
1 cup |
4 |
1 |
| Apricot, fresh |
3 fruits |
3 |
1 |
| Banana, fresh |
1 medium |
3 |
1 |
| Orange, fresh |
1 medium |
3 |
1 |
| Apricot, dried |
5 half |
2 |
1 |
| Cherries, fresh |
10 fruits |
2 |
Trace |
| Dates |
3 fruits |
2 |
Trace |
| Peach, fresh |
1 medium |
2 |
1 |
| Prune, dried |
3 fruits |
2 |
1 |
| Raisins, |
¼ cup |
2 |
Trace |
| Cantaloupe |
¼ medium |
1 |
Trace |
| Grapefruit |
½ medium |
1 |
1 |
| Grapes, fresh, without seeds |
20 fruits |
1 |
Trace |
| Pineapple, fresh |
½ cup |
1 |
Trace |
| |
|
|
|
| Vegetables |
|
Total Fiber (g)
|
Soluble Fiber (g)
|
| Parsnips, cooked |
½ cup |
4 |
2 |
| Carrots, cooked |
½ cup |
3 |
1 |
| Brussels sprouts, cooked |
½ cup |
3 |
2 |
| Potato, baked with skin |
1 medium |
3 |
1 |
| Spinach, cooked |
½ cup |
3 |
1 |
| Squash, Winter, cooked |
½ cup |
3 |
2 |
| Beans, string |
½ cup |
2 |
1 |
| Cabbage, cooked |
½ cup |
2 |
1 |
| Cauliflower, cooked |
½ cup |
2 |
Trace |
| Corn, cooked |
½ cup |
2 |
Trace |
| Sweet potato, baked |
½ medium |
2 |
1 |
| Turnip, cooked |
½ cup |
2 |
1 |
| Broccoli, cooked |
½ cup |
1 |
1 |
| Kale, cooked |
½ cup |
1 |
1 |
| Squash, Summer, cooked |
½ cup |
1 |
Trace |
| Tomato, raw |
1 medium |
1 |
Trace |
| Zucchini, cooked |
½ cup |
1 |
1 |
| |
|
|
|
| Cereals |
|
Total Fiber (g)
|
Soluble Fiber (g)
|
| Fiber One |
½ cup |
14 |
1 |
| All-bran |
2/3 cup |
13 |
1 |
| All-bran with extra fiber |
½ cup |
13 |
1 |
| 100% Bran |
½ cup |
12 |
1 |
| Bran Buds |
1/3 cup |
12 |
3 |
| Raisin Bran |
¾ cup |
6 |
1 |
| Bran Flakes, without Raisins |
¾ cup |
5 |
Trace |
| Complete Bran Flakes |
¾ cup |
5 |
Trace |
| Wheat Chex |
2/3 cup |
5 |
1 |
| Bran Chex, Multi |
2/3 cup |
4 |
Trace |
| Grape-Nuts Flakes |
1 cup |
4 |
1 |
| Nutri-Grain-Golden Wheat |
¾ cup |
4 |
Trace |
| Oatmeal |
1 cup |
4 |
2 |
| Total |
1 cup |
4 |
1 |
| Cheerios |
1 ¼ cup |
4 |
1 |
| Original Frosted Mini-Wheats |
4 large pieces |
4 |
1 |
| Basic 4 |
¾ cup |
3 |
1 |
| Complete Oat Bran Flakes |
2/3 cup |
3 |
1 |
| Cracklin’ Oat Bran |
1/3 cup |
3 |
Trace |
| Mueslix, Raisin, Almond, Dates |
½ cup |
3 |
1 |
| Shredded Wheat |
2/3 cup |
3 |
Trace |
| Granola, low fat with raisins |
½ cup |
3 |
1 |
| Grape-Nuts |
¼ cup |
2 |
Trace |
| Heartland Granola |
¼ cup |
2 |
1 |
| Just Right Fruit and Nut |
¾ cup |
2 |
Trace |
| Smart Start |
1 cup |
2 |
Trace |
| Wheaties |
1 cup |
2 |
1 |
| Corn Flakes |
1 ¼ cup |
1 |
Trace |
| Smacks |
¾ cup |
1 |
Trace |
| Special K |
1 1/3 cups |
1 |
Trace |
| |
**Amounts are rounded to the nearest whole number, with values less
than 0.5 g given as “trace”
Source: Minnesota Nutrient Data Base
4.04, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
Revised 3/02
|
