Recipe Adventure: Tasty Ways To Reach Your Daily Fiber Goal

Nutrition and health advocates constantly preach the benefits of dietary fiber — and it’s easy to see why. Eating enough fiber can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, Type 2 diabetes and gastrointestinal disorders.

The messages seem to be getting through: Research shows that people understand just how beneficial fiber is to their diet.

The problem? Even with that knowledge, most people still don’t consume enough fiber on a day-to-day basis. Surveys show that only about 5% of Americans eat the recommended amount of fiber.

Changing that comes down to eating differently. Putting more of these 31 high-fiber foods on your plate is a good place to start to get the 25–35 grams of daily fiber recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Or you can try one of these 10 recipes, each of which offers at least 10 g of fiber per serving.

Veggie heavy

Roasted winter vegetable ragout: 19 g of fiber per serving

One serving of this colorful dish featuring an assortment of vegetables offers nearly enough fiber to meet your daily goal. Serve it with pasta and you may actually hit your fiber target in one sitting.

Spicy comfort

Meatless black bean chili: 17 g of fiber per serving

Black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes and a rainbow of peppers add heartiness (and fiber) to this chili. With an assortment of spices ­— including chili powder, cumin, chipotle and oregano — you won’t even miss the meat.

Legendary legume

Crunchy lentil salad: 16 g of fiber per serving

Don’t be fooled by the small size of a lentil, which is the star of this salad. These edible seeds qualify as a nutritional heavyweight given their fiber content, vitamins and minerals. (Fast fact: Lentils gained popularity as a meat substitute in the U.S. during World War II.)

A glass of goodness

Ruby-red raspberry smoothie: 15 g of fiber per serving

Who says you have to “eat” your fiber? A glass of this happy-hued drink featuring raspberries, flaxseed and chia seeds contains a meal’s worth of fiber.

Hearty stew

Moroccan lentil stew with raisins: 13 g of fiber per serving

Fiber-rich lentils also star in this delight to your taste buds, which includes a blend of cinnamon and cumin, plus the sweet pop of raisins.

Whole-grain heaven

Hearty barley soup with kale and Parmesan: 13 g of fiber per serving

Barley is an often-overlooked grain that brings a nutty flavor and strong nutritional resume to the table. It’s the star of this soup, but don’t dismiss the supporting cast that includes carrots, celery and kale.

Time-tested

Minestrone soup with farro: 12 g of fiber per serving

Farro is considered an ancient grain, but its nutty flavor will make this fiber dynamo a surefire hit at your dinner table today. (Added recipe bonus: The ingredient list includes fiber-rich kidney beans.)

The ‘pea’ in powerhouse

Split pea and rosemary soup: 11.7 g of fiber per serving

Split peas and lentils may come from opposite sides of the legume family, but their fiber content definitely makes them seem like close cousins. (Fast fact: Split peas take almost double the amount of time to cook than lentils.)

Dessert option

Chia pudding: 11 g of fiber per serving

It’s possible to hit your fiber goal by eating dessert. Want proof? Try this tasty treat, which takes advantage of chia seeds’ ability to absorb up to 10x their weight in liquid.

Scoop it up

Pinto bean, charred corn and onion salsa: 10.3 g of fiber per serving

Another bean in the mix! This time, pinto beans pack the fiber punch that makes this fresh-tasting salsa a healthy option for snacking. (Feel free to use it as a topping on grilled fish or chicken, too.)