You may have heard that fiber is good for your digestion and for helping you feel full. What you might not know is that fiber is also important for heart health and that most Americans don’t get enough of it in their daily diets.1

The good news is that fiber is in a lot of delicious, healthy foods that we should be eating for all sorts of reasons and is perfect for upping your snacking game.

What is fiber?

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate and an important part of a healthy diet. It helps regulate the movement of food through the digestive system. Because of this, fiber plays a valuable role in healthy digestion, blood sugar control, cholesterol levels and weight management.2

It’s recommended for women to eat 25 grams and men to eat 38 grams of fiber each day.2,3

High-fiber foods include:4

  • Whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, barley, brown rice and farro
  • Beans and legumes like lentils, split peas, pinto beans, black beans and chickpeas
  • Nuts and seeds like chia seeds, almonds, sunflower seeds, pistachios and flax seeds
  • Vegetables like peas, brussels sprouts, broccoli, potatoes (with skin) and carrots
  • Fruits like blueberries, pears, apples (with skin), oranges and bananas, or dried varieties like apricots, prunes and figs

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Three flavorful high-fiber snacks

If you’re looking to add fiber, color and variety to your healthy snack options, look no further than these recipes courtesy of the American Heart Association. Each recipe makes six servings. Each serving contains at least 5 grams of fiber.

Spicy oven-roasted chickpeas – Hot Chicks5

Ingredients

  • 2 (15.5-ounce) canned, no-salt-added chickpeas (garbanzo beans) (drained, rinsed)
  • 2 Tbsp. canola oil
  • 2 tsp. sodium-free chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
  2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Drain and rinse chickpeas; add to the baking sheet. Using a few paper towels, blot the chickpeas to remove excess liquid.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the oil and spices. Mix to combine. Pour oil over chickpeas; using a spatula or hands, mix together so chickpeas are coated with spices.
  4. Roast chickpeas in the preheated oven until crispy, about 35 minutes, rotating and shaking the pan halfway through the cooking process. Remove from oven and serve.

Nutrition facts per 1/6 of recipe

Calories: 192
Total Fat: 6.0 g
Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
Trans Fat: 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 146 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 27 g
Dietary Fiber: 6 g
Sugars: 1 g
Protein: 8 g

Peanut butter banana protein bars6

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray
  • 2/3 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats
  • 1/3 cup buckwheat flour
  • 1/4 cup ground chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 medium bananas, mashed
  • ¼ cup creamy low-sodium peanut butter
  • 15 drops chocolate-flavored liquid stevia sweetener
  • 2 teaspoons stevia sweetener OR 4 stevia sweetener packets

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together the oats, flour, chia seeds, walnuts, and cinnamon.
  3. In a medium bowl, stir together the banana, peanut butter, chocolate-flavored liquid stevia sweetener, and stevia sweetener. Pour the flour mixture into the bowl, stirring until the mixture is just moistened but no flour is visible.
  4. Spread the mixture into the baking pan.
  5. Bake for 12 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Cool for 20 to 30 minutes before cutting into 6 bars.

Nutrition facts per 1/6 of recipe

Calories: 220
Total Fat: 11.5 g
Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
Trans Fat: 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 5.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 4.0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 24 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 25 g
Dietary Fiber: 6 g
Sugars: 5 g
Added Sugars: 1 g
Protein: 7 g

Black bean salad (or salsa)7

Ingredients

  • 1 15.5-ounce can no-salt-added or low-sodium black beans, drained
  • 1 15-ounce can no-salt-added or low-sodium whole-kernel corn, drained OR 3/4 cup frozen corn (thawed)
  • 1 medium bell pepper (diced) OR 1 medium tomato (diced)
  • 1/2 cup red onion (diced)
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic (from jar)
  • 2 teaspoons chopped cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1 medium lime

Directions

  1. In a large salad bowl, toss together all the ingredients. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Nutrition facts per 1/6 of recipe

Calories: 142
Total Fat: 2.5 g
Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
Trans Fat: 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 1.5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 11 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 26 g
Dietary Fiber: 5 g
Sugars: 6 g
Protein: 6 g

Get support to live a heart-healthy lifestyle

Whether you’re just getting started with healthier eating or you’ve been at it a while, a Teladoc dietitian can help you feel your best. Our network of 150-plus expert registered dietitians will customize a nutrition plan and help you meet your personal health goals.

Speak with a dietitian

Check out all the ways you can benefit from working with a Teladoc dietitian.

Updated January 19, 2022

1https://medlineplus.gov/dietaryfiber.html
2https://www.eatright.org/food/vitamins-and-supplements/nutrient-rich-foods/fiber
3https://www.eatright.org/food/vitamins-and-supplements/types-of-vitamins-and-nutrients/easy-ways-to-boost-fiber-in-your-daily-diet
4https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/resources/2020-2025-dietary-guidelines-online-materials/food-sources-select-nutrients/food-0
5https://recipes.heart.org/recipes/spicy-oven-roasted-chickpeas%E2%80%94hot-chicks
6https://recipes.heart.org/en/recipes/peanut-butter-banana-protein-bars
7https://recipes.heart.org/en/recipes/black-bean-salad-or-salsa

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Health Talk, Heart health, Nutrition