8 High-Fiber Packed Fruits Foods You Must Try To Support Your Diet Goal
Win the battle of the bulge and boost your health by including the 40 best high-fiber foods. Here's what to add to your cart at the supermarket.
Most fitness fanatics prioritize protein on their daily menu, with good
reason. To build muscle like a pro, protein should be tops on your list. But
while other nutrients play important roles, fiber is often an afterthought. And
that could be a big mistake.
In fact, chances are you're not getting enough
fiber. Research suggests that more than 90 percent of Americans aren't meeting
their daily fiber requirement, which is 25 grams a day for women and 38 grams a
day for men. That's bad news for your physique transformation, not
to mention overall health.
Beyond helping to keep you more regular than Norm from "Cheers," a high-fiber diet can aid in fat loss, improve digestive health, better your cholesterol numbers, and slash the risk of certain types of cancer. So it should be no big surprise that a 2014 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study found that people with a higher fiber intake had a longer lifespan than those with a lower intake. Plus, if you're eating a high-fiber diet, there's a good chance your daily menu is chockablock in the other nutrient-dense whole foods you need to reach your fitness goals.
When it comes to keeping you as lean as a racehorse, fiber exerts a
powerful one-two punch on your pudge. First, fiber waylays hunger, so it helps
prevent you from overeating those tempting cookies in the office break room. A
diet with adequate amounts of grit also improves blood sugar control, which can
go a long way in reducing fat storage.
But there's no need to choke down Metamucil to get your fill of fiber.
We've put together a list of whole-food grub that'll surely help you become one
of the few who are actually nailing their daily fiber quota. Let's go through
them aisle-by-aisle in the supermarket.1. Dried figs
Fiber count: 15 grams per 1 cup
While fresh figs aren't always easy to find at your
local megamart and their sky-high prices can be truly unappetizing, dried figs
are available year round for a stellar source of fiber. You can thank all those
little seeds for providing a fiber bounty. As a bonus, you'll get a range of
nutrients not found in other parched fruit, including calcium, magnesium,
potassium, and vitamin K.
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Sliced figs are a great ingredient in sandwiches
and salads. For your new favorite yogurt or oatmeal topping, in a medium-sized
saucepan combine 1-1/4 cups brewed coffee, 20 dried mission figs (stems removed
and quartered), 1/4 cup honey, 1 whole star anise, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1
teaspoon orange zest. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered for 20
minutes.
With a slotted spoon, remove figs from the pan. Simmer liquid, uncovered,
over medium-high heat until reduced and syrupy, 3-4 minutes. Combine figs and
syrup; discard star anise.
2. Raspberries
Fiber count: 8 grams per 1 cup
When it comes to berries, these flushed gems are the fiber powerhouse. Each
cup delivers twice the amount of fiber found in blueberries. Another perk is a
healthy dose of vitamin C. A study in the European Journal of Nutrition
discovered that individuals with low vitamin-C status had reduced exercise
performance compared to those with better vitamin-C status.7 Vitamin
C is a potent antioxidant that can help reduce the oxidative stress associated
with high-intensity workouts.
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Giving your diet a fiber boost is as easy as tossing raspberries onto your
yogurt and oatmeal. Stash a bag of frozen raspberries in your freezer and use
them to elevate your protein shakes. For a gussied-up salad dressing, try
blending together olive oil, fresh raspberries, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard,
a garlic clove, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Blackberries
Fiber count: 8 grams per 1 cup
As with their red counterparts, deliciously sweet
blackberries are fiber superheroes. The dark delights are also chock-full of
vitamin K. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that higher
intakes of vitamin K were associated with a reduced risk of big-time killers
such as heart disease and cancer.
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Use blackberries in protein shakes, cottage cheese, oatmeal, yogurt, green
and fruit salads, or piled atop a stack of pancakes.
4. Avocado
Fiber count: 6.5 grams per 1/2 avocado
When most people think of avocados, what comes to mind is their high amount
of beneficial monounsaturated fats. Yet the creamy fruit (yes, it's a fruit!)
is a great way to help nail your daily fiber quota. You'll reap the benefits of
its nutrient bonanza including notable amounts of vitamin K, folate, potassium,
and vitamin B-6.
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Beyond sandwiches, salads and, of course, guac, you can give your shakes a
good shot of fiber by blending together 1/2 ripe avocado with milk of choice,
protein powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and frozen banana.
5. Pears
Take a bite out of a juicy pear and you'll be one step closer to reaching
your daily fiber requirement. In fact, pears contain about 30 percent more grit
than apples. Just make sure that you eat them with their skin since that's
where most of the dietary fiber (as well as several important antioxidants) is
found.
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Pack one with your lunch for a healthy way to finish off your midday
repast. Sliced pears also add a sweet element to salads and protein shakes. For
a killer grilled cheese, try stacking sliced pear, gorgonzola cheese, and
arugula on whole-grain bread. Pears are also wonderful when blended into soups
such as butternut or parsnip.
6. Dates
Fiber count: 6 grams per 1/2 cup
If you have a sweet tooth and don't have high blood sugar, consider
quelling it with oh-so-sweet dates and you'll reap the benefits of their
dietary fiber. Dates are also a notable source of potassium to help keep your
blood pressure numbers in check. If you don't mind the splurge, medjool dates
are the cream of the crop.
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For an energy-boosting, fiber-packed snack, place 1-1/2 cups pitted dates
and 3/4 cup almonds in a food processor container and blend until broken down
into small pieces. Add 1/3 cup unsweetened dried coconut, 1/4 cup ground flax,
1/4 cup raw cacao powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, zest of 1 orange, juice of 1/2
orange, a pinch of salt, and blend until mixture clumps together. Form into
1-inch balls.
7. Kumquats
These "baby oranges" sporting an exotic name are worth scooping
up from the produce aisle when you see them. At the size of a large grape, you
can pop them whole into your mouth–no peeling required. In fact, they're like
an orange that has been turned inside out–the edible rind is surprisingly sweet
while the flesh is slightly sour. Because you eat their skin, kumquats are a
top-notch fiber source.
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Beyond being a great out-of-hand snack, you can add chopped kumquats to
yogurt, oatmeal, and salads. Or gussy up a salsa by combining chopped kumquats
with diced red bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced scallion, chopped
cilantro, minced jalapeno, juice of 1/2 lime, and a couple pinches of salt.
8. Frozen cherries
Fiber count: 5 grams per 1 cup
Few fruits scream summer like local, luscious cherries, but once they have
bid adieu it's a Sisyphean effort to find anything fresh that even remotely
matches up. Deliciously sweet frozen cherries are already conveniently pitted
and packed with fiber, potassium, and antioxidants.
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You can blend frozen cherries into smoothies (duh!), but you can also make
a sauce to upgrade your yogurt, cottage cheese, pancakes, or oatmeal. Bring 2
cups frozen cherries, juice of 1/2 lemon, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 1/2
teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 cup water to a simmer in a medium-sized saucepan.
Simmer for 10 minutes and then gently mash the cherries into a pulpy puree.
Dissolve 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch in 1 tablespoon
water. Stir cornstarch and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into cherry mixture and
simmer 2 minutes more, or until slightly thickened.
You can try the food at the top to support the nutritional needs and diet help you lose weight or body fat. The fiber content in foods is very beneficial for the body and nutrition is very good
for the body. besides providing healthy benefits for the body, the
nutrient content of these foods can help prevent various diseases. 8 high-fiber packed fruits foods at the top can be alternative to you to support your diet goal. Good luck to your diet. Keep spirit for a healthier life.