12 High-Fiber Foods That Aren’t Fruits and Veggies

By now, you probably know fiber is key to your health. Sure, it’s most famous for helping you poop (and alleviating constipation), but it also has a ton of other benefits, like lowering blood sugar and “bad” LDL cholesterol and even reducing your risk of colon cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other health conditions. Basically, it’s not a nutrient to skimp on, but even so, the vast majority of Americans (upwards of 90%!) don’t meet their recommended daily allowance (or RDA).

Thankfully, eating enough high-fiber foods can help you hit that vital target. Fruits and veggies are maybe the best example, but you have other options too, though any alternative is “going to still need to be a plant-based food,” Janice Dada, MPH, RDN, a certified intuitive eating counselor based in California, tells SELF. Below, you’ll find 12 possibilities—all of which you should be able to find on the shelves of your local grocery store.

Whole-grain products

With low-carb diets like keto trending, whole grains—those which haven’t been processed to remove their bran and germ components and thus retain their original nutritional composition—have declined in popularity, Vincci Tsui, RD, a certified intuitive eating counselor based in Canada, tells SELF. But that doesn’t change the fact that they remain a solid source of fiber. (In fact, whole grains should account for at least 50% of your total grain intake, according to the USDA!) Specifically, whole-grain items will generally “vary between three and five grams [of fiber] per serving,” Dada says. However, it can be tough to distinguish between whole-grain products and their non-whole-grain counterparts at the supermarket if you don’t know what to look for (brown–colored bread isn’t always whole-grain!), so be discerning while making your selections: Look for the terms “whole-wheat flour” or “whole-grain flour” at the beginning of the ingredient list, according to the University of Georgia.

1. Bread

Even the most basic of whole-grain breads (like 100% whole-wheat bread) pack around three grams of fiber per slice, according to Tsui. While that number might seem small, she points out that we often have multiple slices at a time rather than one alone, so your total intake will be at least double that. In the case of a sandwich, for example, you’ll get around six grams of fiber between two whole-wheat slices. That said, you have more elevated (fiber-rich) options too, including sprouted-grain bread (made from whole grains that have just started to sprout) or multigrain whole-grain bread (made from multiple different whole grains). Contrary to what you might think, multigrain and whole-grain are not inherently synonymous, so you’ll still want to look for that whole-grain label on the packaging!

2. Popcorn

Yep, the classic movie-night snack is actually considered a source of fiber. While it’s not exactly all that dense in the nutrient, Dada says, the recommended serving size is large enough (three cups) that each one delivers around six grams of fiber, according to the USDA. “It’s just so airy” that you can eat a ton at once, Dada says.

3. Pasta

Whole-wheat pasta has more than double the fiber of regular white pasta—seven grams versus three grams per two ounces, according to the University of Michigan. For some people, “it might be an adjustment in terms of taste and texture”—the consistency tends to be harder, and the flavor nuttier—“but that can be a way to get in fiber with something that’s lower-cost,” Tsui says.

4. Breakfast cereal

For Dada, three cereals with high fiber value immediately spring to mind: Grape-Nuts (seven grams of fiber per half cup), shredded wheat (this Post Consumer Brands cereal contains eight grams per 1 and 1/3 cups), and bran flakes (Kashi Go Lean Crunch packs 12 grams per cup). What’s more, Dada notes, Grape-Nuts bring an added bonus: The cereal is also really high in iron. If you “don’t like the little hard round [bits]” in the original product, she adds, there’s even a flakes-based version.

Legumes

While legumes like beans and lentils technically belong to the USDA’s “vegetables” food group, they’re not a traditional veggie in the same vein as, say, peas or carrots, so we decided to include them here. Broadly speaking, legumes happen to be “very high in fiber,” Tsui says—to the tune of around seven to eight grams of fiber per half-cup serving, to be specific. Of course, the exact amount will “vary depending on the type of bean,” Dada says, so here, we’ve rounded up a few of the most common, easy-to-use varieties. (Another major selling point besides the fiber content? The sheer convenience. “You don’t have to cook them from scratch—even canned beans are great,” Tsui says.)

5. Chickpeas

Whether you call them chickpeas or garbanzo beans, these beige babies are packing on the fiber front. Half a cup contains more than six grams of fiber, according to the USDA. Sprinkle them in your salad, add a handful to your smoothie, or try one of these other creative chickpea ideas for some more meal inspo.

6. Black beans

If fiber is what you’re after, black beans are a slightly better bet than chickpeas, at around eight grams per half cup, according to the USDA. You can eat them on their own or incorporate them into a larger dish, like Dada’s favorite pumpkin chili. “For somebody who doesn’t want to eat beans directly, that would be a great way to get a good high-fiber source in alongside meat,” she says.

7. Pinto beans

Like black beans, pinto beans clock in at around eight grams of fiber per half-cup, according to the USDA. What’s more, they also contain plenty of other nutrients, including iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and various B vitamins.

8. Hummus and other bean products

Last but not least, food items derived from beans can also supply a solid amount of fiber—including hummus, the popular chickpea-based dip that makes frequent appearances on charcuterie boards and party platters. Thanks to its chickpea content, hummus contains around two grams of fiber per two tablespoons, according to the USDA, so that “could be a good option” for a fiber-rich snack or appetizer, Dada says. Dip in a slice of whole-grain pita bread for a double dose.

Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds are such an established source of protein and healthy fats that sometimes “we forget that they can be a source of fiber as well,” Tsui says—but indeed they can. On average, nuts contain 4 to 11 grams of fiber per 100 grams (slightly more than one cup), according to a 2010 article published in the journal Nutrients. Just keep in mind that the recommended serving size is actually smaller than that: a small handful (for nuts) or two tablespoons (for nut butters).

9. Almonds

Of all the nuts and seeds out there, almonds “are particularly high in fiber,” Tsui says—at around four grams per ounce, according to the USDA. In addition, they’re also an excellent source of vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, and magnesium.

10. Chia seeds

In recent years, chia seeds have taken off as a smoothie ingredient, and not for nothing. Since one tablespoon contains around four grams of fiber, according to the USDA, blending them up into a fruity sweet treat is an easy way of “adding fiber to a drink,” Dada says. If you’re feeling something slightly more solid, try chia pudding instead. Making the recipe is as simple as can be: Just blend the seeds with a little bit of water to achieve a thick paste that works well as a base for fruit, yogurt, and other toppings.

11. Pumpkin seeds

Not only is pumpkin flesh surprisingly high in fiber, but the seeds are packin’ too. One ounce of whole pumpkin seeds contains around five grams of fiber, according to the USDA. Per Dada, try adding them to homemade granola (or even pancake mix!) for a satisfying breakfast.

12. Nut butter and other nut products

Just as bean products like hummus are a solid source of fiber, the same is true of products made from nuts. Peanut butter contains around two grams of fiber per two tablespoons, for example, according to the USDA. By comparison, “almond butter’s a little bit higher,” Dada says—at around three grams. (In contrast, walnut butter isn’t a strong option, since it tends to be lower in protein and fiber than other nut butters, according to the American Heart Association.)

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