Insoluble Fiber Foods: 39 Things To Eat That’ll Increase Your Intake

As far as dietary concerns for vegans go, we’re pretty good on the old fiber intake. Plus let’s face it, talking about fiber just isn’t as sexy as asking someone where they’re getting their calcium or protein from.

However, let’s get serious for a sec… a lack of fiber in our diet is a dangerous thing health-wise. When we get enough it can help to reduce the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and constipation. Junk food vegans, pay attention!

Soluble fiber dissolves in water whereas insoluble fiber doesn’t. This is the stuff that passes through our digestive systems in pretty much the same way as it went in. It acts like a broom and helps to keep everything moving, clears out the toxins and keeps your digestive tract all ship-shape and shiny.

It probably wouldn’t hurt us all to get a little more insoluble fiber in our diets. So without further ado, let’s check out our list of 39 foods that will help to increase your intake.

Almonds

Great as a snack or as an addition to your morning oatmeal, you can go nutty over almonds if you’re looking to up your insoluble fiber intake. 

One cup of almonds contains 14.3 grams of insoluble fiber and while you probably won’t eat a whole cup per day, it’s great to know that by adding a few here and there to your salads or breakfast cereal, you’re doing yourself an insoluble fiber favor!

Amaranth

Of course you’ve heard about quinoa, who hasn’t these days? Now meet quinoa’s super dooper cousin, amaranth.

An ancient grain from the same plant family as quinoa (pseudocereals), amaranth has been cultivated for thousands of years thanks to its amazing nutritional properties.

One cup of dry amaranth contains a whopping 20.2 grams of insoluble fibre, plus it’s one of the highest protein plant foods around. Move over quinoa, there’s a new pseudocereal in town!

Avocados

The vegan love affair with avocados will never end. Who doesn’t love a good dollop of guacamole on their nachos?

However, when it comes to insoluble fiber, not all avocados are made alike it seems. Eating one medium-sized raw California avocado will bag you just 5.8 grams of insoluble fiber, whereas one medium-sized raw Florida avocado will give you around 13.9 grams. That’s a huge difference! Choose wisely, avocado fans!

Barley

One of the fourth largest grain crops grown globally, you’ll usually find barley in breads, soups, stews and health products. It’s also used as a source of malt for alcoholic beverages such as beer (no, downing a brewski doesn’t contribute to your daily insoluble fiber intake!)

One cup of cooked barley gives you an insoluble fiber count of 6.7 grams and it’s easy enough to incorporate the dry ingredient into your own homemade soups and stews for added flavor and texture.

Blackberries

You know you had a great childhood if you’ve got memories of stained hands and clothes from wild blackberry picking! Little did you know back then that one cup was going to give you around 6.2 grams of insoluble fiber.

But you don’t have to wait for blackberry season to indulge in these insoluble fiber-rich berries. Check out your local frozen section at the supermarket and add some frozen blackberries to your morning smoothie if you can’t get your hands on the fresh variety.

Buckwheat Groats

Also known as beechwheat, buckwheat groats was touted as one of the up and coming superfoods but it doesn’t really seem to have taken off – perhaps it’s the unappealing name?

That aside, one cup of dry buckwheat groats will give you 14.6 grams of insoluble fiber so it’s well worth trying to incorporate this superfood-that-should-be-but-never-was into your diet. You can eat it in salad, stews and even scones!

Bulgur

Get ready to break out your falafels and hummus – bulgur wheat is a key ingredient in that infamous Middle Eastern salad, tabbouleh. 

And it’s not just great in tabbouleh; you can eat bulgur in veggie burger patties, warm veggie and grain salads, soups and more.

Dry, one cup of bulgur will give you 21.3 grams of insoluble fiber, whereas when it’s cooked it will only yield 6.6 grams. 

Cauliflower

Prior to going vegan, cauliflower had to be one of the blandest, most boring vegetables out there. But thanks to the creative culinary prowess of many vegan food bloggers, this veggie is starting to be seen in a whole new delicious light – hello cauliflower BBQ “wings”! ⁽¹⁾

Curiously, cooking cauliflower seems to make more of its insoluble fiber readily available, with one cup cooked from frozen offering 3.6 grams.

Chestnuts

Unlike other nuts, chestnuts are quite low in fat and surprisingly, they’re a great source of vitamin C. They’re great roasted or used in stuffing, or fried with Brussels sprouts.

Next time Christmas rolls around and you’ve got some chestnuts roasting on the open fire, just remember that one cup of these roasted darlings will give you 13.2 grams of insoluble fiber! Woo-hoo, it’s a Christmas miracle!

Chickpeas

Us vegans sure love our chickpeas (a.k.a. Garbanzo beans)! From hummus (oh yes!), through to currys and veggie burgers, this versatile little bean is a champion in the kitchen and on the fiber scales.

Approximately 65-75% of the fiber found in chickpeas is of the insoluble variety and just ½ a cup of cooked chickpeas will give you 2.8 grams.

Coconut

If you’re stranded on a deserted island with only coconut trees to sustain you, fear not! You will still be able to get your insoluble fiber needs met (cause that’s the only thing you’d be worried about, right?)

A fresh, medium-sized coconut will provide you with 31.8 grams of insoluble fibre. But if you’re not on a deserted island it’s good to know you can still get 11.9 grams from just one cup of unsweetened coconut.

Dates

Perfect for sweetening smoothies or baked goods, dates can be eaten cooked or raw and are a whole food plant-based eater’s dream and a sweet staple for Middle Eastern cuisine too.

One cup will give you 11.2 grams of insoluble fibre so feel free to grab a few to snack on when out and about. 

Elderberries

Elderberries are usually prized for their high vitamin C content and transformed into all sorts of potions and elixirs to ward off sickness in the winter months. But they’re also a great source of fiber too!

One cup of these red berries contains 8.3 grams of insoluble fiber! You can’t sneeze at that! 

Figs

Another Middle Eastern staple, figs tout many health benefits including being high in fiber.

Fresh, ripe figs are such a luxury but one cup of fresh figs will only give you 2.8 grams of insoluble fibre, compared to dried and uncooked figs, which will net you 16.8 grams! 

You can enjoy dried figs year-round and reap the insoluble fiber benefits!

Green Beans

Did you know that green beans contain antioxidants similar to those found in green tea? True story!

As well as contributing to good heart health, one cup of these little greenies will give you 2.1 grams of insoluble fiber. There are so many interesting ways to enjoy green beans (hint: they pair very well with garlic and vegan butter!) 

So, don’t pass up on the green beans next time!

Kidney Beans

Stand aside green beans! Kidney beans are giving you a run for your money in the insoluble fibre stakes. Just one cup of kidney beans gives 5.7 grams of insoluble fiber and they’re also a great source of plant-based protein.

Get your kidney bean fix with a bean and grain salad or perhaps a chili sin carne? The world is your kidney bean! (Sounds like a great slogan for a vegan t-shirt, am I right?)

Kiwi

Also known as a Chinese Gooseberry – because they didn’t actually originate from New Zealand – you don’t have to eat very much kiwifruit to get a good helping of insoluble fiber.

Just by eating one medium kiwi you’ll bag yourself 2 grams of insoluble fiber. And with different varieties now available, such as golden kiwifruit, you’re now spoilt for choice in the kiwifruit department.

Lentils

Lentils have long been a vegetarian and vegan dream. Often praised for their high level of protein content, their insoluble fiber content is also very impressive.

One cup of cooked from dry lentils gives you 14.4 grams of insoluble fiber and being such a versatile ingredient, there are endless lentil recipes out there to suit every taste. 

So even if you don’t fancy the idea of a lentil “meat” loaf, why not give dhal curry a go? Or even Lentils Lyonnaise with smoked tofu… yum!

Lima Beans

Lima beans are also sometimes known as butter beans due to their creamy texture once cooked. This makes them a wonderful and healthy choice for bean purees and dips.

Fresh lima beans are difficult to get your hands on but the dried and canned variety make these beans available all year long and will give you 6.2 grams of insoluble fiber per cup.

Loganberries

If you love blackberries and you love raspberries too, then you’ll love their hybrid! (Mmm hybrid). That’s just what a loganberry is. While the shape of the fruit and plant look more like blackberries, the fruit itself is a similar red to raspberries.

As well as bringing together the best parts of a raspberry and blackberry, loganberries also contain 6.5 grams of insoluble fiber per cup. That’s a lot! Plus it would be so easy to gobble down a cup of these little treasures!

Macadamia Nuts

Known as the ‘Queen of Nuts’ – now that’s quite a title, don’t you think? – macadamias are buttery, sweet and so addictive when roasted and salted.

But being the ‘Queen’ doesn’t come without a hefty price tag and macadamias are probably one of the most pricey nuts you can buy. Good thing you get a lot of insoluble fiber for your buck then, right? One cup of macadamias will give you 9.9 grams of the good stuff.

Millet

If you’re bored with rice and had enough of quinoa, you could try giving millet a go. Millet is a great whole grain substitute and can be cooked and eaten in place of rice with veggies or even as a breakfast porridge instead of oatmeal.

Cooked millet provides you with 5.3 grams of insoluble fiber, whereas the dry variety will give you 13.8 grams. Try adding raw millet to muffins, salads or quick breads for added texture and nuttiness.

Navy Beans

Navy beans, known as Haricot Beans if you live in the UK, are a small white bean and the star ingredient of Boston baked beans. They are one of the smallest varieties of white bean.

These little cuties provide you with 7.3 grams of insoluble fiber per cup when cooked from dry. Beans on toast for dinner, anyone?

Oat Bran

When you think of fiber, do you instantly think of oat bran, or is it just me? Oat bran is the outer shell of an oat groat (ha, that rhymes!) and provides more protein and fiber than your plain old regular oats.

One cup of oat bran will give you 3 grams of insoluble fiber. So don’t be afraid to resurrect the bran muffins of the 90s and give them a makeover!

Peas

Did you know that peas are thought to have originated from Middle Asia and that the Romans grew over 37 varieties of peas? They must have really been serious about getting their insoluble fiber in, huh?

One cup of cooked green peas delivers 6.1 grams of insoluble fiber so feel free to do as the Romans did and eat your peas!

Pine Nuts

There are around 20 species of pine tree that produce seeds or nuts that are large enough to harvest. The rest of the pine trees also produce edible seeds but they’re way too small for humans to be bothered about.

One cup of pine nuts is worth 13.1 grams of insoluble fiber, so make sure you throw some on top of your salads and add a handful to your homemade pesto recipes!

Pinto Beans

Beans, beans, the musical fruit, the more you eat, the more… insoluble fiber you get! And with one cup of pinto beans you get 10.9 grams of it!

The pinto bean is the most popular bean in the US and northwestern Mexico. Often eaten whole or mashed and then refried, you’ll commonly find it as a burrito filling.

Pistachios

Us humans have been eating pistachios for at least 9,000 years and they’re one of the oldest flowering nut trees in the world. We knew when we were on to a good thing! One cup of pistachios nets you 10.4 grams of insoluble fiber.

If you’re in the US and currently munching on a handful of pistachios, likelihood is that they’ve come from California, where around 98% of pistachios grown in the US are from. Elsewhere, Iran is the largest producer of pistachios in the world. 

Popcorn

Going to the cinema is synonymous with eating popcorn, so next time you’re watching the latest blockbuster and chowing down, you’ll be happy to know that you’re also getting in some insoluble fiber as well!

Air-popped, three cups of popcorn will provide you with 3.6 grams of insoluble fiber. 

Potatoes

The average American eats around 140 pounds of potatoes per year. Now if you think that’s a lot, then wait for this! Germans each eat a whopping 200 pounds of potatoes per year!

Considered the fourth most important crop in the world, potatoes are not only comforting and delicious, they’re also a good source of insoluble fiber, providing 1.8 grams per cup.

Quinoa

A favorite of vegans and vegetarians worldwide, quinoa it the ultimate pseudocereal! It’s not a grass like wheat and rice, and it’s botanically related to spinach.

According to the Whole Grains Council, there’s around 120 known varieties of quinoa, with most of them providing about 8 grams of insoluble fiber per cup!

Raspberries

Ever wondered why raspberries have the hole in the middle? Apparently a raspberry is made up of around 100 tiny individual fruits, which position themselves around the stem. The stem stays on the plant when you pick the raspberry, which is why there is a hole. Now we know!

A cup of these delicious and fascinating berries will give you an impressive 7.5 grams of insoluble fiber.

Rice Bran

When you consume rice bran, most of its fiber is insoluble. It comes from the cell wall of the rice kernel.

Just two tablespoons of rice bran will provide you with 4 grams of fiber, 90% of which is insoluble. You can enjoy rice bran incorporated into soups and stews and even sprinkled over salads.

Sunflower Seeds

The world record holder for the tallest sunflower was set in 2014 by a German gentleman, who grew a 30 foot, 1 inch sunflower! Not only do sunflower seeds make delicious vegan cheeses and butters, they’re also a great source of insoluble fiber.

One cup gives you 10.7 grams so make sure you incorporate these nutty tasting seeds into your diet today – you could even try and break Hans-Peter’s record by growing your own!

Teff

Also known as lovegrass (sweet!), Teff originates from Ethiopia and is a cereal grain that belongs to the grass family.

You can eat it in its whole grain form as a porridge or cereal and also ground into a flour for pancakes and gluten-free breads. Any way you eat it, you’ll get around 21.7 grams of insoluble fiber per cup.

Turnip Greens

Got turnips growing in the garden or fresh from the farmers’ market? Make sure you don’t throw away the leafy green tops!

Turnip greens can be eaten cooked or raw and will provide you with around 2.8 grams of insoluble fiber. So hold off throwing the tops into the compost bin and get sauteing!

Wheat Bran

Wheat bran is another food that you instantly associate with being high in fiber – and rightly so; a cup of wheat bran provides 25.2 grams of insoluble fiber.

If you’re wondering what in the world you should do with wheat bran, you can try sprinkling it into your favorite home cooked foods such as breakfast porridge, pancakes and baked goods like muffins and cookies.

Whole Wheat Flour

We all know that we should be opting for the whole wheat bread over the white bread but did you know that whole grain bread has three times the fiber of white bread?

So next time you have a choice between a baked good made from white flour or a baked good made from whole wheat flour, just remember that almost 80% of the fiber in the whole wheat product will be insoluble fiber, something the white flour product is severely lacking!

Yams

Last but not least on our list, it’s everyone’s favorite edible tuber…it’s yams. Those twisted little root veggies are really just sweet potatoes given a cute name. Available in numerous varieties and colors, one cup of cooked yams gives you 4.8 grams of insoluble fiber. Yammer about that!

So what do you think?

That’s it folks! Our list of 39 foods that will help you increase your intake of insoluble fiber is now complete.

Are there any foods here that you think you’ll try to incorporate more of into your diet following this article? Let us know in the comments section below, we’d love to hear your thoughts.

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1. Sina Weber | 20 Game-Changing Vegan Cauliflower Recipes | https://veganheaven.org/all-recipes/20-game-changing-vegan-cauliflower-recipes/