This content originally appeared on On a regular basis Health. Republished with permission.

By Diana Rodriguez and Kristeen Cherney, PhD

Medically Reviewed by Roxana Ehsani, RD, LDN

Ready to provide your health a clean sweep? Then consider fiber — nature’s broom, says Toby Smithson, RDN, CDCES, a coauthor of Diabetes Meal Planning & Nutrition for Dummies.

Present in plant-based foods, fiber is a carbohydrate that the body can’t digest, which helps slow the rise in blood sugar following a meal. There are two sorts of fiber — soluble and insoluble, and so they’ve each got big advantages. “Foods high in soluble fiber turn into gummy or sticky as they go through the digestive tract, helping to cut back the absorption of cholesterol,” Smithson explains.

That’s a plus for anyone but especially individuals with diabetes, who’re twice as more likely to develop heart disease or stroke as people without diabetes, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Also impressive, insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve and is useful since it promotes bowel regularity. Oats and apples are two sources of soluble fiber, whereas insoluble fiber is present in foods reminiscent of cauliflower and whole-wheat flour, in accordance with the Mayo Clinic. To get enough of every sort of fiber, eat a wide range of foods with the nutrient.

In line with a study published in 2016, soluble fiber specifically helped increase insulin sensitivity, lowered blood sugar, and reduced cholesterol in individuals with type 2 diabetes. One other profit is weight management because fiber can make it easier to feel full and satisfied. This effect may help keep type 2 diabetes at bay in the primary place: Research has shown that only 30 grams (g) of fiber per day may help prevent diabetes when combined with a low-fat weight-reduction plan.

Though a star nutrient, fiber is barely one a part of the equation with regards to picking essentially the most diabetes-friendly foods. It’s also necessary to be mindful of your carbohydrate intake. For weight reduction, you could also wish to concentrate to calories, and, for general health, total fat and the standard of fat. (FYI: The vast majority of the picks below are low in fat.)

To take the guesswork out of healthy eating, we rounded up some top fiber-rich foods to contemplate adding to your diabetes weight-reduction plan.

1. Love Your Lentils

About 37.5 percent of the carbs in lentils come from fiber, which may also help keep your blood sugar stable, says Jill Weisenberger, RDN, CDCES, a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the creator of 21 Things You Must Know About Diabetes and Your Heart.

Cooked lentils boast 15.6 g of fiber and 230 calories per 1 cup serving, making them a wonderful source, in accordance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). They specifically provide soluble fiber, notes Mount Sinai. The identical serving size offers about 40 g carbohydrates and about 18 g of protein, the latter of which provides additional satiety. In a rush? Go for quick-cooking red lentils, and use them in a soup or salad, Weisenberger suggests.

2. Go Bonkers for Beans

The trick for reaping essentially the most profit from beans? Pick a rainbow of them. In line with the USDA, a ¼ cup serving of cooked red kidney beans has about 5 g of fiber, making them an excellent source; a ½ cup of black beans has about 6 g and is a superb source; and a ½ cup of white beans has about 5 g and is an excellent source. Each style of bean incorporates roughly 120 calories and 21 g of carbs per serving.

Along with providing fiber, beans, in addition to lentils, have a starch that’s immune to digestion, notes Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. This implies it doesn’t get into the bloodstream quickly and affect blood sugar, Weisenberger says. Also, like lentils, beans contain each soluble and insoluble fiber.

Plus, that starch is nice news for good gut bacteria. “When bacteria make a meal of resistant starch, some fatty acids are formed,” she says. These helpful fatty acids promote higher use of insulin and healthier colon cells. To get more beans into your weight-reduction plan, try tossing them into your favorite salad, soup, or entrée.

3. Steam an Artichoke

Artichokes are tender and flavorful, and so they offer fiber — a ½ cup serving of artichoke hearts has about 4.8 g, making them an excellent source, in accordance with the USDA. Additionally they provide blood pressure-lowering potassium and magnesium, in addition to vitamin C and folate. The identical serving amount also incorporates only 10 carbohydrates and 45 calories. To cook, Weisenberger recommends removing the underside leaves and cutting off the highest third of the artichoke, removing the stem, and trimming the thorns from the highest leaves. Steam for about 25 minutes over boiling water. Once cooled, pull off the succulent bracts (leaf-like structures that protect the artichoke flower) and dip them in an olive-oil-based vinaigrette.

4. Pop Some Fresh Popcorn

Don’t reach for a bag of chips once you need a salty snack — air-pop homemade popcorn as an alternative. Skip the salt and butter (this isn’t movie show popcorn). As a substitute, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil, sprinkle on some dried herbs, or add a touch of hot sauce. Three cups of air-popped popcorn incorporates about 3.5 g of fiber, the USDA reports. The identical serving size also offers 93 calories and about 18.6 g carbohydrates. Popcorn is cholesterol free and has almost no fat and only a few calories. It’s also a low-glycemic-index food, the USDA says, meaning that it’s slowly digested and has a gradual impact on blood sugar levels.

5. Adore Avocados

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Great mashed into dip or used as a ramification as an alternative of mayo, avocados provide each soluble and insoluble fiber and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, in accordance with research. A ¼ cup serving of avocado has greater than 3.3 g of fiber, in accordance with the USDA. The identical serving size also has 80 calories and three g carbohydrates. It also has nearly 7 g of fat, so keep in mind that somewhat goes a great distance. Weisenberger suggests substituting 1 tablespoon (tbsp) of mashed avocado for 1 tbsp of butter when baking and choosing a slice of avocado rather than cheese in your favorite sandwich.

6. More Peas, Please!

These starchy, high-soluble-fiber veggies offer vitamins A, C, and K and make an important substitute for rice and other grains, Weisenberger says. A ½ cup serving of canned, drained green peas boasts about 3.5 g of fiber, in accordance with the USDA, making them an excellent source. The identical serving size has about 11 g of carbohydrates and about 59 calories, which is much lower than rice. At the identical time, you gain about 3.8 g protein per serving. Yellow or green split peas are also good decisions. A ¼ cup cooked serving incorporates 9 g fiber, 120 calories, and 21 g carbohydrates for a wonderful source, the USDA reports. To assist manage your carbohydrate intake while gaining these advantages, consider tossing peas into your favorite salad for added nutrients and fiber, or enjoy them on their very own, sprinkled with somewhat fresh mint and parsley.

7. Rating Big With Broccoli

A cup of chopped raw broccoli offers about 2 g of fiber and in regards to the same amount of protein, says the USDA. The identical serving size also incorporates about 5 carbohydrates and fewer than 30 calories. Plus, this cruciferous green veggie is a superb source of vitamins C and K. Weisenberger suggests steaming broccoli florets, tossing them with a garlicky olive oil, mixing them right into a pasta or casserole, which you’ll enjoy sparsely, or adding them raw and crunchy into your favorite green salad.

8. Take a Bite Out of Berries

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Bite-size and sweet, berries are loaded with fiber and antioxidants. Any selection will offer advantages, but raspberries and blackberries are two examples of insoluble fiber decisions, because the Cleveland Clinic notes. “Berries are loaded with health-boosting compounds, including those thought to assist prevent certain sorts of cancer and improve the health of the center,” Weisenberger says. In line with the USDA, a 1 cup serving of raspberries incorporates about 9.75 g fiber, 17.8 g carbohydrates, and 78 calories. For a sweet dessert, enjoy berries topped with a number of dark chocolate shavings.

9. Pick Pears

Green, red, or brown, all pears offer the identical health advantages. A big pear incorporates nearly 6 g of fiber, making it a wonderful source, in accordance with the USDA. “For a elaborate treat, drizzle somewhat balsamic vinegar over slices of a grilled pear,” Weisenberger suggests. Enjoy it for dessert, or serve the slices over salad greens at first your meal. A big pear incorporates about 27 g carbs and 18 g natural sugars, so remember to plan ahead when incorporating this fruit into your day by day meal plan.

10. Try Barley and Oatmeal

Each of those whole grains are good sources of insoluble fiber. Try barley rather than rice or pasta in your favorite dishes, and replace bread crumbs with oatmeal in meat loaf or for coating baked chicken or fish. Each contain the fiber beta-glucan, which improves insulin motion, lowers blood sugar, and helps sweep cholesterol from the digestive tract, Weisenberger says. A ¼ cup serving of cooked barley incorporates greater than 7 g of fiber, 37 g carbohydrates, and 170 calories, making it a wonderful source, in accordance with the USDA. The USDA also reports that a ½ cup serving of rolled oats incorporates about 4 g fiber, 150 calories, and 27 g carbs, which also make it an excellent source of fiber.