By Barbara Bolen, PhD 

 Medically reviewed by Chika Anekwe, MD

Soluble fiber found in fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, and seeds is an important part of a healthy diet. Soluble fiber-rich foods offer many health benefits, including a decreased risk of heart disease, lower cholesterol levels, and better control of diabetes and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).1

Soluble fiber is the type of fiber that dissolves in water and turns into a gel. This not only slows digestion, making you feel fuller sooner, but it also promotes fermentation which creates healthy bacteria in the gut. For this reason, soluble fiber is often referred to as fermentable fiber or prebiotic fiber.1

This article lists 20 foods high in soluble fiber, including their nutritional value and fiber content.

Soluble vs. Insoluble Fiber

Per their names, soluble fiber dissolves in water and insoluble fiber does not. While soluble fiber slows down digestion, insoluble fiber helps food move more quickly through the intestines by adding bulk (roughage). Foods rich in insoluble fiber include wheat bran, whole grains, and certain vegetables.1

1

Carrots

Lonely Planet Images / Getty Images

Eating colorful fruits and vegetables high in plant-based compounds called phytonutrients offers numerous health benefits. Carrots contain a type of phytonutrient called carotenoids that are good for the eyes. Your body also uses carotenoids to make vitamin A.2

Carrots contain a healthy mix of soluble and insoluble fiber. One chopped or grated carrot contains no less than 2.4 grams of soluble fiber.3

Cooking carrots makes them more digestible than eating them raw. Cooking these root vegetables doesn't significantly affect their fiber content.4

2

Green Beans

Green beans are an inexpensive and easy way to add soluble fiber to a meal. They're a great source of vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants that help prevent long-term cell damage. Just one cup of green beans delivers 25% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C.5

You can eat green beans raw, but they're easier to digest when steamed, stir-fried, or roasted. One cup of cooked green beans contains roughly 1 gram of soluble fiber.3

3

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are an excellent source of soluble and insoluble fiber. A single serving packs enough vitamin C to meet your daily needs.5

Many people avoid Brussels sprouts out of fear they will make them gassy. But even people with IBS can cope with small portions and still reap the benefit of this fiber-rich vegetable.6 Cooking Brussels sprouts makes them easier to digest.

One cup of cooked Brussels sprouts contains roughly 2 grams of soluble fiber. Raw Brussels sprouts, such as those used for shaved salads, contain slightly more.3

4

Chickpeas

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are packed with protein and fiber. They are also a good source of vitamin B6 and folate, providing roughly 14% of your daily need of each with a one-cup serving.5

Chickpeas can be sprinkled on salads, added to soups and sauces, or roasted in olive oil. One cup of cooked chickpeas contains more than 4 grams of soluble fiber.5

5

Lentils

Like chickpeas, lentils are a legume that are nutrient-dense and fiber-dense. Eaten cooked, they deliver 20% of your daily potassium need, 36% of your daily protein need, and a whopping 64% of your daily fiber need per cup.5

One cup of cooked lentils contains an impressive 8 grams of soluble fiber.5 Rinsing and soaking the beans before cooking reduces their gassiness.

6

Potatoes

Potatoes are also an excellent source of protein, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B16, and magnesium. They are rich in soluble and insoluble fiber. These not only include baking potatoes but red-skinned, yellow-skinned, and purple potatoes as well.7

One cup of cooked potatoes delivers 3.6 grams of soluble fiber and roughly the same amount of insoluble fiber. To reduce your intake of insoluble fiber, discard the skin.8

7

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are another great way to satisfy your sweet tooth while enjoying the benefits of soluble fiber and nutrients like vitamin B6 and potassium.5

Unlike potatoes, sweet potatoes contain a type of sugar known as mannitol that provide sweetness without significantly increasing a person's blood sugar. This makes sweet potatoes safe for people with diabetes.9

One cup of cooked sweet potato delivers roughly 6 grams of soluble fiber.8

8

Summer Squash and Zucchini

Summer squash and zucchini are both rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6, and potassium. They also contain a carotenoid called lutein that protects the eyes as well as a potent antioxidant called zeaxanthin that helps neutralize cell-damaging free radicals.7

One cup of cooked summer squash or zucchini delivers 2.4 grams of soluble fiber.8

9

Eggplant

Eggplant is low in calories and a good source of manganese, folate, and potassium. It is also a great choice for people on a low-protein diet, delivering bulk with only 0.8 grams of protein per one-cup serving.5

When cooked, eggplants contain around 2.5 grams of soluble fiber and 2.5 grams of insoluble fiber per cup.3 You can reduce some of the insoluble fiber by peeling the skin. Roasting eggplant in olive oil makes it both tasty and easier to digest.

10

Okra

Okra is a great source of soluble fiber and a host of nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, and calcium. As with green beans and Brussels sprouts, okra can cause gas if eaten in excess.5

Okra is high in a type of sugar called fructans which are fermentable and prebiotic (meaning they create probiotic bacteria during digestion).10

One cup of cooked okra delivers roughly 2 grams of soluble fiber.3

11

Avocados

Avocados are a great source of protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and soluble fiber. Just one avocado delivers 15 grams of monounsaturated fat and 4 grams of polyunsaturated fat, both of which are heart-healthy.5

Avocados are best eaten raw as cooking them destroys a powerful antioxidant known as lycopene.2

One cup of avocado delivers one-third of your daily recommended intake of fiber. However, most of it is insoluble. The amount of soluble fiber in a one-cup serving of avocado is 3 grams.3

12

Blueberries

Blueberries are an excellent fruit-based source of fiber. They are also high in fructans and an antioxidant called anthocyanins that give blueberries their blue color.11

While blueberries can satisfy a sweet tooth, they don't raise blood sugar significantly due to their fiber content. One cup of fresh blueberries packs in about 1.8 grams of soluble fiber.8

Blueberries are best when eaten fresh but also can be also frozen and still retain their nutritional value.12

13

Bananas

Bananas have a lot of great qualities: They're available year-round, portable, and high in nutrients and fiber. One banana delivers around 33% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin B6 and potassium.5

One cup of banana (roughly two medium-sized bananas) offers 4 grams of soluble fiber and around half as much insoluble fiber.8

14

Kiwi

Kiwis are high in vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin E, folate, and potassium. Just one medium-sized kiwi fruit delivers 83% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C.5

Kiwis also contain high amounts of three major carotenoids (lutein, beta carotene, and zeaxanthin) and may help regulate blood sugar due to their high fiber content.13

One cup of fresh kiwi (roughly four medium-sized berries) delivers no less than 6 grams of soluble fiber and 6 grams of insoluble fiber.8

15

Oranges

Maximilian Stock Ltd. / Getty Images

Oranges are an excellent source of fiber and one of the best all-around sources of vitamin C. They are also a good source of folate, potassium, and calcium. Just one medium-sized orange delivers 93% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C.5

One cup of fresh, whole-fruit oranges (roughly one and a half medium-sized oranges) delivers around 3.6 grams of soluble fiber.

Whole fruit is much better than juice, particularly strained juices that remove the pulp.6

16

Raspberries

Raspberries are a great source of soluble fiber and vitamin C. Fresh or frozen, they contain more fructan than blueberries.12

One cup of raspberries delivers roughly one-third of your total recommended fiber intake per day.5 Raspberries contain more or less the same amount of soluble fiber per cup as blueberries (1.8 grams) but comparatively more insoluble fiber (3.2 grams).8

17

Strawberries

Strawberries mainly consist of water (91%) and carbohydrates (8%) with only trace amounts of fat and protein. Roughly 26% of the carb count is derived from fiber.5

One cup of fresh strawberries delivers pretty much the same fiber content as raspberries (1.8 grams soluble and 3.2 grams insoluble).8

Strawberries are a good source of vitamin C, manganese, folate, and potassium.5 Fresh fruit retains the nutritional value of strawberries more than cooked fruit.

18

Oatmeal

Oats are an excellent source of fiber and are considered a heart-healthy food. Oats have numerous other benefits, delivering 64% of the recommended daily intake of manganese, 15% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin B1, and 13% of the recommended daily intake of potassium, magnesium, and zinc.5

Oats also contain antioxidants called avenanthramides that are thought to reduce blood pressure.11

You can eat raw oats, but they are more digestible when cooked. One cup of cooked oatmeal contains roughly 3 grams of soluble fiber.8

19

Peanuts

Portable and delicious and packed with nutrients like folate. They are also high in prebiotic fructans and contain a healthy blend of soluble and insoluble fiber.4

Peanuts are also rich in healthy monosaturated and polyunsaturated fat (24 grams and 16 grams respectively).5

Eating 20 large peanuts will deliver roughly 0.6 grams of soluble fiber. Similarly, one tablespoon of peanut butter offers roughly 0.3 grams of fiber along with 8 grams of protein.8

20

Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds also make a great portable snack. They're packed with fiber, protein, iron, vitamin B6, and magnesium. Sunflower seeds are especially high in selenium, vitamin E, and manganese, offering 30% or more of the recommended daily intake per 1/4-cup serving.5

One cup of sunflower seeds contains a whopping 12 grams of soluble fiber.8

In addition to snacks, you can sprinkle sunflower seeds on cooked vegetables, mashed potatoes, and salads.

Can You Eat Too Much Soluble Fiber?

Eating too much soluble fiber (or increasing your intake too quickly) can lead to gas, bloating, and cramping. For most people, 25 to 30 grams of soluble fiber per day is ample.1

Sources

MedlinePlus. Soluble vs. insoluble fiber.

Ahmad T, Cawood M, Igbal Q. Phytochemicals in Daucus carota and their health benefits—review article. Foods. 2019 Sep;8(9):424. doi:10.3390/foods8090424

Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Blackman MR, et al. Fiber content of selected vegetables. Endotext. South Dartmouth, MA; MDText Inc; 2023.

Magge S, Lembo A. Low-FODMAP diet for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterol Hepatol (NY). 2012 Nov;8(11):739–45.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.

McLean AR, King K, Chumpitazi BP. Low FODMAP dietary food lists are often discordant. Am J Gastroenterol. 2017 Apr;112(4):655–6. doi:10.1038/ajg.2016.593

Nanayakkara WS, Skidmore PML, O'Brien L, Wilkinson TJ, Gearry RB. Efficacy of the low FODMAP diet for treating irritable bowel syndrome: the evidence to date. Clin Exp Gastroenterol. 2016;9:131–42. doi:10.2147/CEG.S86798

West Ottawa Wellness Foundation. Soluble and insoluble fiber food list.

Kakodkar S, Mutlu EA. Diet as a therapeutic option for adult inflammatory bowel disease. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2017 Dec;46(4):745–67. doi:10.1016/j.gtc.2017.08.016

Eikhalifa AE, Alshammari E, Adnan M, et al. Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) as a potential dietary medicine with nutraceutical importance for sustainable health applications. Molecules. 2021 Feb;26(3):696. doi:10.3390/molecules26030696

Xu L, Tian Z, Chen H, Zhao Y, Yang Y. Anthocyanins, anthocyanin-rich berries, and cardiovascular risks: systematic review and meta-analysis of 44 randomized controlled trials and 15 prospective cohort studies. Front Nutr. 2021;8:747884. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.747884

Dreher ML. Whole fruits and fruit fiber emerging health effects. Nutrients. 2018 Dec;10(12):1833, doi:10.3390/nu10121833

Bellini M, Tonarelli S, Nagy AG, et al. Low FODMAP diet: evidence, doubts, and hopes. Nutrients. 2020 Jan; 2(1):148. doi:10.3390/nu12010148

Additional Reading

Monash University. High and low FODMAP foods.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central.

By Barbara Bolen, PhD
Barbara Bolen, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and health coach. She has written multiple books focused on living with irritable bowel syndrome.