Enker, Warren, M.D., F.A.C.S. Chief, Division of Colorectal Surgery.
Bowel Function & Dietary Fiber
http://www.wehealny.org/healthinfo/dietaryfiber/Bowel
The Top Twenty Fiber Foods
This list can serve as a general guide. For more specific calorie and fiber content of particular foods, to estimate your daily and weekly quotas, refer to the alphabetical chart that follows:
1.
Dried beans, peas, and other legumes This includes baked beans, kidney beans, split peas, dried limas, garbanzos, pinto beans and black beans.
2.
Bran cereals Topping this list are Bran Buds and All-Bran, but 100% Bran, Raisin Bran, Most and Cracklin' Bran are also excellent sources.
3.
Fresh or frozen lima beans, both Fordhook and baby limas
4.
Fresh or frozen green peas
5.
Dried fruit, topped by figs, apricots and dates
6.
Raspberries, blackberries and strawberries
7.
Sweet corn, whether on the cob or cut off in kernels
8.
Whole-wheat and other whole-grain cereal products. Rye, oats, buckwheat and stone-ground cornmeal are all high in fiber. Bread, pastas, pizzas, pancakes and muffins made with whole-grain flours.
9.
Broccoli-very high in fiber!
10.
Baked potato with the skin (The skin when crisp is the best part for fiber.) Mashed and boiled potatoes are good, too-but not french fries, which contain a high percentage of fat.
11.
Green snap beans, pole beans, and broad beans (These are packaged frozen as Italian beans, in Europe they are known as haricot or french beans.)
12.
Plums, pears, and apples The skin is edible, and are all high in pectin.
13.
Raisins and prunes Not as high on the list as other dried fruits (see #5) but very valuable.
14.
Greens Including spinach, beet greens, kale, collards, swiss chard and turnip greens.
15.
Nuts Especially almonds, Brazil nuts, peanuts, and walnuts (Consume these sparingly, because of their high fat content.).
16.
Cherries
17.
Bananas
18.
Carrots
19.
Coconut (dried or fresh-but both are high in fat content).
20.
Brussels sprouts
Fiber Content Chart
Food
Portion
Calories
Fiber (grams)
Almonds
slivered
1 tbsp
14
0.6
sliced
1/4 cup
56
2.4
Apple
raw
1 small
55-60*
3.0
1 med
70
4.0
1 large
80-100*
4.5
baked
100
5.0
applesauce
2/3 cup
182
3.6
Apricots
1 whole
17
0.8
dried
2 halves
36
1.7
canned in syrup
3 halves
86
2.5
*Important as dietary fiber is, laboratory technicians have not yet been able to ascertain the exact total content in many foods, especially vegetables and fruits, because of its complexity. Consequently, estimates vary from one source to another. Where differing estimates have been found, an approximation is given in the chart, as indicated by an asterisk. The same symbol following calorie content means the number of calories has been estimated, varying according to other added ingredients, especially fats and sugars, and to the size of the "average" fruit or vegetable unit.
Artichokes
cooked
l large
30-44*
canned hearts
4 or 5 sm
24
Asparagus
cooked, small spears
1/2 cup
Avocado
diced
97
2 slices
50
0.9
whole
1/2 avg.size
170
2.8
Bacon
flavored chips (imitation)
32
0.7*
Baked beans
in sauce (8-oz can)
1 cup
180*
16.0
with pork & molasses
200-260*
Baked potato (see Potatoes)
Banana
1 med 8"
96
Beans
black, cooked
190
19.4
broad beans (Italian, haricot)
3/4 cup
30
Great Northern
160
kidney beans,
canned or
94
9.7
188
lima, Fordhook baby, butter beans
118
3.7
lima, dried
canned or cooked
150
5.8
pinto, dried
before cooking
155
18.8
white, dried
80
8.0
(See also Green (snap) beans,
(Chickpeas, Peas, Lentils)
Bean sprouts, raw
in salad
7
Beets
cooked, sliced
33
3 sm.
48
3.7*
Blackberries
raw, no sugar
27
4.4
canned, in juice pack
54
jam, with seeds
60
0.7
Bran meal
3 tbsp
28
6.0
9
2.0
Bran muffins (see Muffins)
Brazil nuts
shelled
2
Bread
Boston brown
4.0*
cracked wheat
120
high-bran "health" bread
120-160*
7.0*
white
1.9
dark rye (whole grain)
108
5.8*
pumpernickel
116
seven-grain
111-140
6.5
whole wheat
whole wheat raisin
140
Bread crumbs
22
2.5*
Broccoli
20
frozen
4 spears