5 Filling High-Fiber, Low-Calorie Foods

If one of your big goals is to follow a healthy diet, consider filling up your kitchen — and your plate — with high-fiber, low-calorie foods. Because they're filling, you can eat a lot of these foods without taking in a lot of calories, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Foods that are lower in calories tend to also be lower in fat and sugar — these low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods promote weight-loss, since taking in fewer calories than you extend is how you lose weight. And since fiber helps you feel full, high-fiber foods promote weight loss.

If you're looking to add more high-fiber, low-calorie foods to your meals and snacks, there are plenty of delicious, easy options available.

At the top of the list of high-fiber, low-calorie foods is fruit, which typically has 100 calories or less per serving. Fruit also provides fiber and essential vitamins and minerals. Some filling fruit options include:

• ‌Apples:‌ A medium-sized apple has 95 calories and 4.4 grams of dietary fiber, according to the USDA.
• ‌Bananas:‌ A medium-sized banana has 105 calories and 3.3 grams of dietary fiber, per the USDA.
• ‌Pears:‌ A medium-sized pear has 101 calories and 5.5 grams of dietary fiber, per the USDA.
• ‌Oranges:‌ A navel orange has 69 calories and 3.1 grams of dietary fiber, according to the USDA.
• ‌Blueberries:‌ In one cup of blueberries, you'll get 84 calories and 3.6 grams of dietary fiber, according to the USDA.

Adults should aim to get 2 cups of fruit per day, according to the USDA ‌Dietary Guidelines for Americans‌.

‌How to eat more fruit:‌ Keep a bowl of fresh fruit on the countertop or in your fridge. You can also have fruit at mealtime. For example, top yogurt or cereal with sliced bananas or make a berry smoothie to start your day. Have a fruit salad for dessert or consider making a tasty peach recipe that goes beyond cobbler.

Like fruit, vegetables are packed with nutrients. Plus, their high water content and dietary fiber make them filling options. Take a look at the calorie and fiber content of some readily available veggies:

• ‌Brussels sprouts:‌ A cup of boiled Brussels sprouts has 56 calories and 4.1 grams of dietary fiber, per the USDA.
• ‌Sweet potatoes:‌ A medium-sized baked sweet potato has 103 calories and 3.8 grams of dietary fiber, according to the USDA.
• ‌Spinach:‌ A cup of raw spinach has 7 calories and 0.66 grams of dietary fiber, according to the USDA.

Each day, adults should aim to have 2.5 cups of vegetables, per the ‌Dietary Guidelines‌.

‌How to eat more vegetables:‌ Include a variety of vegetables in meals, such as baby carrots, cucumber slices or a delicious green salad to shake up your lunch. Make blanched and sautéed Brussels sprouts or roasted veggies as a side for dinner. You can also add vegetables to scrambled eggs, an omelet or a breakfast burrito at breakfast, or in casseroles, sauces and stews at dinner, to increase the size of your meal without adding a lot of calories.

Cooked legumes — beans, peas and lentils — are a nutritious low-calorie, high-fiber food option. They're also an inexpensive and versatile source of plant-based protein. Take a look at the nutritional information for some popular legumes:

• ‌Lentils:‌ One hundred grams of lentils has 116 calories and 7.9 grams of dietary fiber, per the USDA.
• ‌Black beans:‌ One hundred grams of this bean has 132 calories and 8.7 grams of dietary fiber, according to the USDA.
• ‌Pinto beans:‌ A 100-gram portion of pintos has 143 calories and 9 grams of dietary fiber, according to the USDA.

Legumes are considered a subset of vegetables in the ‌Dietary Guidelines‌, which recommends having 1.5 cups of them each week.

‌How to incorporate legumes in your diet:‌ Up your protein and fiber with healthy, low-calorie bean recipes, such as burritos or bean burgers. This quick lentil soup recipe is filling and relatively low-calorie. You can also top salads with chickpeas and add black beans to tacos to add legumes to your diet.

Packed with fiber and high in protein, iron and B vitamins, whole grains provide a healthy, low-calorie addition to your diet. Whole grains to try include:

• ‌Oatmeal:‌ A cup of cooked oatmeal delivers 166 calories and 4 grams of dietary fiber, per the USDA.
• ‌Quinoa:‌ A cup of cooked quinoa has 222 calories and 5.2 grams of dietary fiber, according to the USDA.
• ‌Whole-wheat bread:‌ Two slices of whole-wheat bread has 161 calories and 3.8 grams of dietary fiber, according to the USDA.

Aim to have three or more ounces of whole grains a day, per the ‌Dietary Guidelines‌.

‌How to incorporate more grains in your diet:‌ Start your day with whole-grain cereal like oatmeal. Use whole-grain bread, pitas or wraps for your lunchtime sandwich. Include a side of brown rice, wild rice or quinoa at dinner time. Swap out your usual pasta, pizza crust and tortillas for the whole-grain varieties for a nutrient boost.

Nuts are sources of high-quality protein. They're also high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. According to the Mayo Clinic, nuts can help lower cholesterol and improve heart health. Nuts also promote weight loss because they're filling and nutrient-dense.

Take a look at the caloric and fiber content of different types of nuts:

• ‌Almonds:‌ A 1-ounce serving of almonds provides 164 calories and 3.6 grams of dietary fiber, according to the USDA.
• ‌Walnuts:‌ An ounce of walnuts has 186 calories and 1.9 grams of dietary fiber, per the USDA.
• ‌Cashews:‌ One ounce of raw cashews provides 157 calories and 0.94 grams of dietary fiber, according to the USDA.
• ‌Pistachios:‌ A 1-ounce portion of raw pistachios has 159 calories and 3 grams of dietary fiber, per the USDA.

According to the ‌Dietary Guidelines for Americans‌, adults should eat 1.5 ounces of nuts per day.

‌How to incorporate more nuts in your diet:‌ Try adding nuts to yogurt with fruit or oatmeal as a nutritious, low-calorie breakfast or snack. Spread nut butter on toast, add roasted cashews to stir-fry dishes or snack on a handful of raw nuts.