By Danna Pratte
Whenever I go shopping (Sprouts is one of my favorite stores!), I like to stock up on healthy treats, including ones with fiber. We each need 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day—and most of us are not getting enough. Every little bit you can get throughout the day counts toward your daily goal.
These are some of my favorite fiber-rich foods, which I stock up on when I head to the store:
1. Avocados! I love avocados. I add them to salads. I love to snack on them. And they’re a great way to make smoothies super creamy.
They contain up to 13 grams of fiber per avocado. They’re also high in healthy fats and contain 3 grams of protein along with plenty of potassium and other nutrients.
2. Berries are a delicious source of fiber and antioxidants! All berries are good for you: blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries, which are my favorite for snacking on during the day.
Raspberries have 8 grams of fiber per cup. They’re also chock-full of vitamin C and they have 1.5 grams of protein per cup.
3. Broccoli sprouts! These tiny sprouts are amazing sources of nutrition. I add these raw, crunchy treats to my salads and even have them with eggs in the morning. You can also add them to sandwiches, green smoothies, and top soups with them.
Broccoli sprouts contain up to 4 grams of fiber per serving and are loaded with vitamin C and a phytochemical called glucoraphanin, which the body converts to sulforaphane. This is a powerful antioxidant and natural anti-inflammatory.
4. Seaweed is packed with essential nutrients. I munch on seaweed snacks during the day; they’re crunchy, a little salty, and delicious!
While a typical serving of seaweed snacks contains only about 1-2 grams of fiber, seaweed does contain a kind of fiber that’s important for the gut: prebiotic fiber. This is the type of fiber that nourishes healthy bacteria in the gut. What's more, fiber makes up anywhere from 35% to 60% of seaweed’s dry weight. This means that once all the moisture has been removed from seaweed, fiber makes up a good portion of the solid portion of seaweed left!
Seaweed is also rich in iodine and vitamin B12, a nutrient that we need more of as we get older.
5. Chia seeds are fiber powerhouses! I add chia seeds to my smoothies, yogurt, and oatmeal. You can also make chia pudding by soaking chia seeds in a little low-fat coconut milk overnight and topping with berries in the morning.
Tip: it’s a good idea to soak chia seeds in water before adding smoothies to make more of a gel-like mix-in.
Chia seeds have about 10 grams of fiber per serving. They also are chock-full of important omega-3 fatty acids, as well as calcium, magnesium, zinc, and other nutrients. Plus, they have up to 5 grams of protein per serving.
6. Medjool dates are a healthy sweet treat with 3 to 7 grams of fiber per serving. (Fiber amounts vary based on how big the dates are.) When shopping for dates, it’s important to look for Medjool dates over regular dates; these are the dates that contain more fiber.
You can add these dates to smoothies or cut them up and top oatmeal with them. Or use them in healthier baked goods. You can also stuff them with nut butter for a protein-rich midday snack.
Medjool dates are also higher in calcium than regular dates and are rich in other minerals and vitamins like potassium, vitamin B6, magnesium, and iron.
7. Honey Mama’s are my secret weakness! My son turned me on to these sweet treats and I fell in love.
You can find Honey Mama’s in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. They have 3 grams of healthy fiber per bar, and they’re made from raw honey and other simple superfood ingredients.
8. Daily Multi-Fiber is truly one of the most complete fibers on the market! I may be biased but I developed this for people like me who need an easy way to boost fiber every day.
Why it’s so great: Daily Multi-Fiber contains both soluble and insoluble fiber plus prebiotics and probiotics for complete gut support. Just one scoop mixed well into water or other liquid (milk, juice, or even a smoothie) gives you an extra 4 grams of fiber. When to take fiber? Anytime of the day.
Remember: it’s all the little ways you boost your fiber throughout the day that add up!
