High Fiber Foods Printable List [Athlete’s Fiber Guide PDF]
Athletes looking to increase their fiber intake can use this high fiber foods printable list. By incorporating some of these high fiber foods into their sports nutrition performance plan you’ll benefit from the health benefits fiber offers.
You’ll want to balance high fiber intake around your training, games and competition schedule so you can maximize the benefits without causing GI distress.
Check out our post on pre game meals and what to eat before soccer practice for more information on meal timing.
Print out this high fiber foods printable list for your next grocery store trip.
What is fiber
Fiber is a carbohydrate found in plants including fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains. However, people cannot digest or absorb into their blood streams for energy.
Fiber is found in plant based foods and is classified as either soluble or insoluble. It’s important to eat both types of fiber because they each serve different functions. You should consume a variety of high fiber foods in order to get the most benefits.
How much fiber should you eat each day
The amount of fiber you should eat each day depends on the number of calories you eat. The US Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends about 14 grams per 1000 calories. (1)
Generally, athletes requirements will be higher as they require more calories to fuel for sport.
However athletes and the general population only eat about half of the recommended amounts of fiber (2)
General recommendations for daily fiber intake:
| Age (years) | Fiber Recommendations (grams/day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Men | Women | |
| 4-8 | 25 g | 25 g |
| 9-13 | 31 g | 26 g |
| 14-18 | 38 g | 26 g |
| 19-30 | 38 g | 25 g |
| 31-50 | 38 g | 25 g |
| 51-70 | 21 g | 30 g |
What foods have the highest fiber
Generally, foods that have the highest fiber include:
- Legumes – this includes chickpeas, beans and lentils
- Whole grains-great sources of whole grains are found in brown rice, quinoa, oats, whole wheat bread
- Nuts and seeds- walnuts, almonds, chia seeds, flax seeds
- Fruits- apples, berries, oranges, pears
- Vegetables-broccoli, brussels sprouts, peas, artichokes, sweet potatoes
- Popcorn
High fiber cereal and grains printable chart
| Cereals and Grains | Serving Size | Fiber (g/serving) |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-to-eat cereal, high fiber | 1/2 cup | 14 |
| Bran buds | 1/3 cup | 13 |
| Raisin bran | 1 cup | 8 |
| Ready-to-eat cereal, whole grain kernels | 1/2 cup | 7.5 |
| Ready-to-eat cereal, wheat, shredded | 1 cup | 6.2 |
| Popcorn | 3 cups | 5.8 |
| Ready-to-eat cereal, bran flakes | 3/4 cup | 5.5 |
| Bulgur, cooked | 1/2 cup | 4.1 |
| Oatmeal, cooked | 1/2 cup | 4 |
| Spelt, cooked | 1/2 cup | 3.8 |
| Teff, cooked | 1/2 cup | 3.6 |
| Barley, pearled, cooked | 1/2 cup | 3 |
| Ready-to-eat cereal, toasted oat | 1 cup | 3 |
| Oat bran | 1/2 cup | 2.9 |
| Crackers, whole wheat | 1 ounce | 2.9 |
| Tortillas, whole wheat | 1 ounce | 2.8 |
High fiber vegetable printable chart
| Vegetable | Serving Size | Fiber (g/serving) |
|---|---|---|
| Green peas, cooked | 1 cup | 8.8 |
| French beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 8.3 |
| Pumpkin, canned | 1 cup | 7.1 |
| Brussels sprouts, cooked | 1 cup | 6.4 |
| Sweet potato, cooked | 1 cup | 6.3 |
| Jicama, raw | 1 cup | 5.9 |
| Winter squash, cooked | 1 cup | 5.7 |
| Yam, cooked | 1 cup | 5.3 |
| Broccoli, cooked | 1 cup | 5.2 |
| Avocado | 1/2 cup | 5 |
| Cauliflower, cooked | 1 cup | 4.9 |
| Carrots, cooked | 1 cup | 4.8 |
| Collard greens, cooked | 1 cup | 4.8 |
| Kale, cooked | 1 cup | 4.7 |
| Snow peas, cooked | 1 cup | 4.5 |
| Spinach, cooked | 1 cup | 4.3 |
| Beet greens, cooked | 1 cup | 4.2 |
| Cabbage, red, cooked | 1 cup | 4.1 |
| Edamame, cooked | 1/2 cup | 4.1 |
| Okra, cooked | 1 cup | 4 |
| Green beans, snap, cooked | 1 cup | 4 |
| Hominy, canned | 1 cup | 4 |
| Corn, cooked | 1 cup | 4 |
| Potato, baked, with skin | 1 medium | 3.9 |
| Carrots, raw | 1 cup | 3.6 |
| Mushrooms, cooked | 1 cup | 3.4 |
| Red bell pepper, raw | 1 cup | 3.1 |
| Asparagus, cooked | 1 cup | 2.9 |
| Onions, cooked | 1 cup | 2.9 |
| Cabbage, cooked | 1 cup | 2.8 |
| Beets, cooked | 1 cup | 2.8 |
High fiber fruit printable chart
| Fruit | Serving Size | Fiber (g/serving) |
|---|---|---|
| Pear, Asian | 1 medium | 7 |
| Pear | 1 medium | 6 |
| Apple, with skin | 1 medium | 5 |
| Avocado | 1/2 medium | 5 |
| Raspberries | 1/2 cup | 4 |
| Figs, dried | 1/4 cup | 4 |
| Orange | 1 medium | 4 |
| Blackberries | 1/2 cup | 3.8 |
| Prunes or dried plum | 1/4 cup | 3.2 |
| Blueberries, wild | 1/2 cup | 3.1 |
| Banana | 1 medium | 3 |
| Dates | 1/4 cup | 3 |
| Kiwifruit | 1/2 cup | 2.7 |
| Grapefruit | 1/2 fruit | 2.5 |
| Blueberries | 1/2 cup | 1.8 |
| Mandarin orange | 1/2 cup | 1.8 |
| Pomegranate seeds | 1/4 cup | 1.8 |
| Apricots | 1/2 cup | 1.6 |
| Strawberries | 1/2 cup | 1.5 |
| Cherries | 1/2 cup | 1.5 |
High fiber beans and legumes printable chart
| Beans and Legumes | Serving Size | Fiber (g/serving) |
|---|---|---|
| Navy beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 9.6 |
| Small white beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 9.3 |
| Yellow beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 9.2 |
| Lima beans, cooked | 1 cup | 9.2 |
| Adzuki beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 8.4 |
| Split peas, cooked | 1/2 cup | 8.2 |
| Lentils, cooked | 1/2 cup | 7.8 |
| Pinto beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 7.7 |
| Cranberry (roman) beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 7.6 |
| Black beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 7.5 |
| Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), cooked | 1/2 cup | 6.3 |
| Great northern beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 6.2 |
| Kidney beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 5.7 |
| White beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 5.7 |
| Black-eyed peas, dried and cooked | 1/2 cup | 5.6 |
| Cowpeas, dried and cooked | 1/2 cup | 5.6 |
| Soybeans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 5.2 |
High fiber nuts and seeds printable chart
| Seeds and Nuts | Serving Size | Fiber (g/serving) |
|---|---|---|
| Pumpkin seeds, whole | 1 ounce | 5.2 |
| Coconut | 1 ounce | 4.6 |
| Chia seeds | 1 Tbsp | 4.1 |
| Almonds | 1 ounce | 3.5 |
| Sunflower seeds | 1 ounce | 3.1 |
| Pine nuts | 1 ounce | 3 |
| Pistachio nuts | 1 ounce | 2.9 |
| Flax seeds | 1 Tbsp | 2.8 |
| Hazelnuts (filberts) | 1 ounce | 2.8 |
Tips for boosting fiber intake
- Add fiber gradually
- Increase your water/fluid intake
- Swap a higher fiber food for a lower fiber food
- Add fiber rich foods to salads, soups, pastas and cereals
- Choose high fiber alternatives-whole wheat pasta, whole grain bread, brown rice
Athletes benefit from high fiber foods since these foods contain key nutrients, minerals and vitamins essential for high performance. High fiber foods also help with digestion and keep blood sugars stable.
How can you get 30 g of fiber a day
You can get 30 grams of fiber a day by selecting multiple high fiber foods from the printable list of high fiber foods. Add berries and nuts to your cereal, make swaps for higher fiber options.
Also, pay attention to the serving size. For example, two servings of raspberries is one cup and has eight grams of fiber. You’d be surprised how quickly you can increase your fiber intake when you double a serving and follow the tips above.
Whole grains are great sources of fiber and you can get more ideas for including whole grains in your diet in our post on whole grains.
Final thoughts
Fiber has many health benefits for athletes. This printable list of high fiber foods will be a useful tool whether shopping for groceries or making choices for healthy snacks or when eating at restaurants.
*High fiber food list generated from data from the US Department of Agriculture and the US Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Join our mailing list and get our FREE Pre-Activity Fueling Guide.
Stephanie Magill, MS, RD, CD, FAND has over 22 years of experience in public health and nutrition. As a performance registered dietitian nutritionist, Stephanie specializes in sports nutrition and provides simple and actionable information so that athletes can be well fueled for high performance on and off the field. Stephanie has a Master’s Degree in Nutrition and is a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.