6 Foods With More Fiber Than Beans, According to Registered Dietitians

When we think about fiber, many of us consider it an important nutrient that helps keep us “regular,” and something that is abundant in beans, specifically. While both of these things are true, there’s a lot more to the health benefits of fiber than one would think, and many more places to find it. We spoke to registered dietitian Mindy Haar to learn more about what fiber can do for our bodies, along with where to find it. 

Fiber comes in two forms: soluble and insoluble. According to Haar, including both types of fiber in your diet is highly recommended because both play important roles in the body. Insoluble fiber helps prevent constipation, increases satiety, and can also reduce cholesterol levels, lowering the risk of heart disease. On the other hand, soluble fiber helps slow the breakdown of carbohydrates, thereby controlling blood sugar.

According to Haar, women should aim for 28 grams of total fiber per day, while the number is slightly higher for men, at 35 grams per day. Most adults in America actually consume much less than these recommended amounts each day, and when it comes to increasing fiber intake, our minds usually go straight to beans as the solution. While beans are an excellent source of fiber, coming in at about six to nine grams of fiber per serving, there are plenty of other foods that can serve as an everyday source of fiber. Read on to learn which foods provide more fiber than beans.