So you want to start your day off right with a healthy, fiber-packed breakfast. Great idea. Fiber keeps you feeling full and satisfied, helps maintain steady blood sugar levels, and aids digestion. The good news is, boosting your fiber at breakfast is super easy. All you need are some simple, delicious foods that are naturally high in fiber. Things like oatmeal, berries, nuts, and seeds. In this article, we'll give you 10 of the best high-fiber breakfast foods to energize your morning and support your health. Whether you like sweet or savory, hot or cold, there's an option for you. Ready to take your breakfast nutrition up a notch? Let's dive in.
Oatmeal: The Classic High-Fiber Breakfast
Fiber helps keep you regular and lowers cholesterol. For the best benefits, choose steel cut or rolled oats over instant oats. Steel cut and rolled oats are less processed so they retain more fiber and nutrients.
To boost the fiber in your bowl even more, top your oatmeal with nuts like almonds or walnuts, seeds such as chia or flax, and fresh or dried fruit like bananas, raisins, or apricots. A half cup of raspberries adds 4 grams of fiber, while a quarter cup of almonds has nearly 4 grams.
While oatmeal made with water will do in a pinch, for the creamiest bowl use a dairy or non-dairy milk like almond or soy milk. They provide calcium and other minerals to balance out the healthy carbohydrates in the oats.
For extra protein, stir in Greek yogurt, nut butter, or a handful of chopped nuts. The protein and fat help keep you feeling full and satisfied for longer.
Finally, consider adding spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice. They provide flavor without extra calories and complement the natural sweetness of fruit and oats.
With all these fiber-rich add-ins, one bowl of oatmeal can easily pack 10-15 grams of fiber or more to start your day off right. Your body and belly will thank you!
Berries: Tiny but Mighty Sources of Fiber
Berries are also loaded with antioxidants, which help prevent cell damage and provide other benefits. Their sweet taste means you can enjoy them on their own, topped on yogurt or oatmeal, or blended into a smoothie. For extra decadence, toss berries in a salad with nuts or a creamy dressing.
Chia seeds are a superfood that provides 5 grams of fiber per ounce. When added to yogurt or oatmeal, they swell up and become gelatinous, adding an interesting texture. You can also make chia pudding by mixing chia seeds, plant-based milk, and sweetener. Let it sit overnight and you'll have a fiber-filled treat to enjoy for breakfast.
Flaxseeds also pack a punch with 3 grams of fiber per ounce. Ground flaxseeds have a nutty flavor and can be sprinkled on yogurt, oatmeal, or salad. Flaxseed meal, which is pre-ground, allows you to gain the benefits without having to grind the seeds yourself.
Speaking of oats, a one-cup serving of old-fashioned rolled oats provides 4 grams of fiber. Oatmeal is a hearty, satisfying way to start your day. Top it with fruit, nuts, seeds, nut butters, or coconut for extra nutrition and crunch. Overnight oats made with chia seeds, Greek yogurt, and fruit juice are a lighter option if cooked oatmeal isn’t your thing.
Fiber doesn’t have to be boring. With delicious options like berries, seeds, oats, and more, you can craft a breakfast high in fiber and flavor. Your gut and the rest of your body will thank you!
Nuts and Seeds: Crunchy Fiber Boosters
Almonds
Just one ounce of almonds contains nearly 4 grams of fiber. They're also high in vitamin E, magnesium and riboflavin. Chop some almonds and sprinkle them on your cereal or add them to a trail mix with dried fruit and dark chocolate chips.
Chia Seeds
Teeny tiny chia seeds pack an impressive 5 grams of fiber per ounce. They're also loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and various minerals. Add a spoonful of chia seeds to your overnight oats, yogurt or smoothie. Their mild nutty flavor works well in both sweet and savory foods.
Flax Seeds
Flax seeds, also called linseeds, provide a whopping 7 grams of fiber per ounce. They contain lignans, plant compounds that may help reduce inflammation in the body and lower heart disease risk. Grind the seeds to unlock their nutrition and add to cereal, oatmeal or a smoothie.
Pumpkin Seeds
An ounce of pumpkin seeds has 5 grams of fiber to fill you up. They also provide magnesium, zinc, and plant-based omega-3's. Roast your own pumpkin seeds or buy pre-made for a crunchy snack, or add to granola, salads and pesto.
Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds give you 3 grams of fiber per ounce. They're high in vitamin E, selenium, magnesium and several B vitamins. Enjoy sunflower seeds raw or roasted as a snack, or use them to top salads, stir fries and casseroles for extra nutrition and crunch.
A handful of nuts or seeds, along with a piece of fruit, can boost the fiber in your breakfast from a few grams to well over 10 grams or more. Their combination of fiber, protein and healthy fats will satisfy your appetite and give you energy to power through your morning. An easy way to add more nutrition to your day, nuts and seeds are a breakfast must-have.
Beans: Protein and Fiber Powerhouses
Black beans: Black beans are versatile and packed with nutrients. Just one cup contains 15 grams of fiber and 15 grams of protein. Add black beans to your breakfast burrito, hash, or top your avocado toast.
Chickpeas: Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, provide 12 grams of fiber and 15 grams of protein per cup. Chickpeas work great in salads, stews, and hummus. For breakfast, try chickpea flour pancakes, a chickpea omelet or chickpea cookie dough oatmeal.
Lentils: Lentils come in brown, green and red varieties. A cup of cooked lentils contains 16 grams of fiber and 18 grams of protein. Lentil flour can be used as an egg substitute in breakfast muffins and scones. You can also add cooked lentils to breakfast bowls, burritos and scrambles.
Pinto beans: Pinto beans are mild in flavor and contain 15 grams of fiber and 15 grams of protein per cup. For breakfast, mash cooked pinto beans and use in place of refried beans, make pinto bean breakfast tacos or add to breakfast enchiladas.
Beans are affordable, filling and environmentally sustainable. Adding more beans to your breakfast routine is an easy way to boost your health, improve your diet and help save the planet. Beans for breakfast, beans for better health and beans for a better world!
High-Fiber Cereals: Look for 5 Grams or More Per Serving
Bran cereals: Bran cereals like raisin bran, bran flakes and oat bran are packed with fiber. A single cup of bran cereal can contain up to 20 grams of fiber, nearly half of the daily requirement of fiber for most adults.
Oatmeal: Oatmeal is a hearty, fiber-filled cereal. A one cup serving of old-fashioned or steel cut oats provides about 4 grams of fiber. Add in mix-ins like nuts, seeds, dried and fresh fruit to boost the fiber content even more.
Granola: Homemade granola can be high in fiber if you add ingredients like oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruit. Look for granola cereal options with at least 5 grams of fiber per half cup serving.
Shredded wheat: Shredded wheat cereal, like Frosted Mini Wheats, contains about 5-6 grams of fiber per cup. The plain, unfrosted version is the most fiber-packed, with up to 9 grams of fiber in a single cup.
Muesli: Muesli is a mix of oats, dried fruit, nuts and seeds. A one cup serving of muesli can contain up to 10 grams of fiber, depending on the specific ingredients. The oats and mix-ins provide lots of fiber along with other nutrients.
Added fiber cereals: Many popular cereals like Cheerios, Fruit Loops and Corn Flakes now offer high-fiber versions with added wheat bran, psyllium or inulin to significantly boost the fiber content. These added-fiber cereals may contain up to 6-8 grams of fiber per cup.
Eating a high-fiber cereal for breakfast is an easy way to get your day off to a fiber-filled start. Be sure to also drink plenty of water when eating high-fiber cereals and foods to aid in digestion. Starting your morning with fiber will keep you full and satisfied until lunchtime.
Conclusion
So there you have it, 10 delicious ways to boost your fiber intake and start your morning off right. Adding more fiber to your breakfast routine is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to improve your health and digestion. Whether you prefer sweet or savory, crunchy or soft, there's an option here for every palate. Pick a few to try each week and rotate through. Before you know it, you'll be well on your way to reaching the recommended 25-38 grams of fiber per day and reaping all the benefits. Your body and taste buds will thank you for it. Now, go forth and fiber up! The rest of your day will be all the better for it.
0 Comments