Top 10 high-fibre food list

When it comes to fibre, small changes can make a big impact on your fibre intake and overall health. Fibre intake has been linked to reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and certain types of cancer.

Daily fibre intake goal:

Males 19-50                38 g per day
Males 50+                   30 g per day
Females 19-50             25 g per day
Females 50+                21 g per day

Here are ten switches you can make for the biggest fibre impact.

Fibre-less food

Grams of fibre per serving

Fibre-rich food

Grams of fibre per serving

Meat or poultry

0 g per 75 g or 2 ½ oz

Red kidney beans

12 g per ¾ cup

Chicken noodle soup

2 g per 1 cup

Lentil soup* check my recipe

12 g per 1 cup

Corn Flakes cereal

1 g per 1 cup (30g)

Fibre first/ bran buds

Bran flakes

12 g per 1/3 cup (30g)

5 g per 1 cup (30g)

Chili con carne

4 g per 1 cup

Vegetarian chili

9 g per 1 cup

White pasta

3 g per 1 ½ cups cooked

Whole wheat pasta

8 g per 1 ½ cups cooked

Chocolate chip muffin - Tim Hortons

2 g per muffin

Raisin Bran muffin - Tim Hortons

5 g per muffin

Apple juice

0.1 g per ½ cup

Apple

3 g per apple with skin

White rice

0.8 g per 1 cup cooked

Brown rice

3 g per 1 cup cooked

Chips - regular

0.8 g per 10 chips (20g)

Microwave popcorn

3g per 2 ½ cups (20g)

White bread

1 g per slice

Whole grain bread

2.2 g per slice


Ten easy ways to incorporate fibre into your diet.

Adding fibre to your diet does not mean that you have to give up your favorite foods or change your lifestyle. Here are some easy ways to incorporate fibre into your diet.

  1. Choose a fibre rich cereal. Choose a cereal that has at least 4 g of fibre per serving.
  2. Add a high fibre cereal to your regular cereal. Choose a cereal that has at least 10 g of fibre per serving and sprinkle it on your regular cereal.
  3. Eat more fruit. Have fruit for a snack or dessert and limit your intake of fruit juice. Don’t forget to eat the skin on fruits like apples and pears. That is where most of the fibre is.
  4. Add one more vegetable to your diet today. Vegetables are low in calories and high in fibre and nutrition.
  5. Add beans or lentils to your tossed salad, spaghetti sauce, or soups.
  6. Choose whole grain and whole wheat breads and pasta. Look for terms like “100% whole grain,” or "100% whole wheat." 
  7. Add ¼ cup of wheat bran, oat bran or ground flax to your baking.
  8. Use hummus or other bean dips for spreads on sandwiches instead of mustard and mayonnaise.
  9. Add dried fruit, nuts or seeds to cereal, salads or yogurt.
  10. Substitute half the white flour for whole wheat flour in your favorite recipes.

Remember to add fibre to your diet slowly. Switching from a low fibre to high fibre diet in one day can cause constipation and cramps.

Make sure to drink water when you are increasing your fibre intake. Aim for 6 to 8 cups per day.

Last reviewed March 2008