Fiber Face Off: Top 10 High Fiber Snacks
Allison Weigel | December 31, 2013
The average American only eats about 15 grams of protein every day, which means most of us are severely deficient in fiber. Fiber is important for heart health, fighting off certain cancers, preventing Diabetes, and promoting weight loss. People who eat high fiber diets tend to eat less because high fiber foods usually taking longer to chew and longer to digest.
Do you have a high FQ (Fiber IQ)? Test yourself to see which of the healthy snacks below stack up on the high fiber scale. A food that contains 5 grams of fiber or more per serving is considered high fiber and a food that provides between 2.5 and 4.9 grams of fiber per serving is considered a “good source” of fiber.
Which of the yummy snacks below are “good” sources of fiber and which are considered to be a “high” fiber snack?
1. Pistachios. The almond isn’t the only nut in town. Pistachios are also a good source of fiber at 2.9 grams per ounce (49 kernels).
2. One ounce (19 chips) of Garden of Eatin’ Baked Yellow Tortilla Chips with 1/2 cup of cooked black beans. At 6 grams of fiber, beans are an excellent high fiber snack and a great source of protein. The chips alone are also a GOOD source at 3 grams. Together this snack offers you 9 grams of fiber and is totally delicious and filling! (photo credit)
3. Kashi Chocolate Almond & Sea Salt Chewy Granola Bar. Kashi held a facebook contest and this flavor was the winner. These granola bars have 6 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber making it a good afternoon snack. (photo credit)
4. 2 Wasa Crispbreads with Laughing Cow Light Swiss Original Wedge. Each Wasa Crispbread has 2 grams of fiber, so basically you can control how much fiber you get based on how many crispbreads you eat. I said two (4 grams) because that’s about how many you would use before you run out of spreadable cheese. This would be a GOOD snack and definitely satiating for the cheese lovers out there! With just a couple more steps, you can add tomato and cucumber slices with a dash of black pepper and you’ll be wanting to pack this snack daily. ()
5. Roasted chickpeas. This DIY snack is sure to get some high fives at snack time. Tasty, crunchy, and boasting 6 grams of fiber in 1/2 cup. Follow this simple recipe for Skinny Mom’s Spicy Roasted Chickpeas.
6. A pear. Who doesn’t love a juicy in-season pear? They boast 4 grams of fiber making them a good snack to go with your lunch.
7. A cup of raspberries. When Shakespeare said, “Though she be but little, she is fierce”, he may have been referring to the raspberry. A cup of raspberries is an excellent high fiber snack packing 8 grams into one cup.
8. Half of an avocado. As if we needed an excuse to eat guacamole. You only need to eat half of an avocado to enjoy a high fiber snack. Each half is worth 6 grams of fiber!
9. Fage with 1/2 cup Fiber One Cereal. This snack has the highest fiber count with 14 grams per serving! The makers of Fiber One are so confident that their product has the most fiber they have produced a list of common foods with fiber and how they stack up against them. Spoiler Alert: They don’t come close.
10. 1/4 cup of hummus and 1 cup of sugar snap peas. This healthy snack has 6.75 grams of fiber making it the perfect, fresh high fiber snack! (photo credit)
Extra Credit Fiber Face Off:
1. How much fiber should women under the age of 50 consume in a day?
a. 21 grams
b. 25 grams
c. 28 grams
d. 29 grams
Answer: If you answered “b” you answered correctly according to daily fiber intake guidelines created by the National Academy of Sciences in 2002.
a. 21 grams- women over 50
b. 25 grams- women under 50
c. 28 grams- pregnant women
d. 29 grams- lactating women
2. True or False? Women need more fiber than men?
Answer: False! Men under 50 need 38 grams of fiber a day, that’s 13 grams more than women the same age. Men over 50 need 30g. (Maybe that’s why they take so long in the bathroom… just sayin’!)