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Article Some vegetables are pretty low in fibre. So which veggies are high-fibre heroes?

Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of Queensland and Emily Burch, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Lecturer, Southern Cross University
February 6, 2025

17 Comments

Shared with permission from The Conversation banner.

Many people looking to improve their health try to boost fibre intake by eating more vegetables.

But while all veggies offer health benefits, not all are particularly high in fibre. You can eat loads of salads and vegetables and still fall short of your recommended daily fibre intake.

So, which vegetables pack the biggest fibre punch? Here’s what you need to know.

What is fibre and how much am I supposed to be getting?

Fibre, or dietary fibre, refers to the parts of plant foods that our bodies cannot digest or absorb.

It passes mostly unchanged through our stomach and intestines, then gets removed from the body through our stool.

There are two types of fibre which have different functions and health benefits: soluble and insoluble.

Soluble fibre dissolves in water and can help lower blood cholesterol levels. Food sources include fruit, vegetables and legumes.

Insoluble fibre adds bulk to the stool which helps move food through the bowels. Food sources include nuts, seeds and wholegrains.

Both types are beneficial.

Australia’s healthy eating guidelines recommend women consume 25 grams of fibre a day and men consume 30 grams a day.

However, research shows most people do not eat enough fibre. Most adults get about 21 grams a day.

4 big reasons to increase fibre

Boosting fibre intake is a manageable and effective way to improve your overall health.

Making small changes to eat more fibrous vegetables can lead to:

1. Better digestion

Fibre helps maintain regular bowel movements and can alleviate constipation.

2. Better heart health

Increasing soluble fibre (by eating foods such as fruit and vegetables) can help lower cholesterol levels, which can reduce your risk of heart disease.

3. Weight management

High-fibre foods are filling, which can help people feel fuller for longer and prevent overeating.

4. Reducing diabetes risk and boosting wellbeing

Fibre-rich diets are linked to a reduced risk of chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer.

Recent research published in prestigious medical journal The Lancet provided some eye-opening stats on why fibre matters.

The researchers, who combined evidence from clinical trials, found people who ate 25–29 grams of fibre per day had a 15–30% lower risk of life-threatening conditions like heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes compared to those who consumed fewer than 15 grams of fibre per day.

Older couple picking fresh vegetables.
Getting plenty of fibre can help us as we age. Image: Canva

So which vegetables are highest in fibre?

Vegetables are excellent sources of both soluble and insoluble fibre, along with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

The following veggies are some of the highest in fibre:

  • green peas
  • avocado
  • artichokes
  • parsnips
  • brussels sprouts
  • kale
  • sweet potatoes
  • beetroot
  • carrots
  • broccoli
  • pumpkin

Which vegetables are low in fibre?

Comparatively lower fibre veggies include:

  • asparagus
  • spinach (raw)
  • cauliflower
  • mushrooms
  • capsicum
  • tomato
  • lettuce
  • cucumber

These vegetables have lots of health benefits. But if meeting a fibre goal is your aim then don’t forget to complement these veggies with other higher-fibre ones, too.

Basket of freshly picked vegetables.
Vegetables are excellent sources of both soluble and insoluble fibre – but some have more fibre than others. Image: Canva

Does it matter how I prepare or cook the vegetables?

Yes.

The way we prepare vegetables can impact their fibre content, as cooking can cause structural changes in the dietary fibre components.

Some research has shown pressure cooking reduces fibre levels more greatly than roasting or microwave cooking.

For optimal health, it’s important to include a mix of both cooked and raw vegetables in your diet.

It’s worth noting that juicing removes most of the fibre from vegetables, leaving mostly sugars and water.

For improved fibre intake, it’s better to eat whole vegetables rather than relying on juices.

What about other, non-vegetable sources of fibre?

To meet your fibre recommendations each day, you can chose from a variety of fibre-rich foods (not only vegetables) including:

  • legumes and pulses (such as kidney beans and chickpeas)
  • wholegrain flour and bread
  • fruits
  • wholegrains (such oats, brown rice, quinoa, barley)
  • nuts and seeds (such as flaxseeds and chia seeds)

A fibre-rich day that meets a recommended 30 grams would include:

  • breakfast: 1⁄2 cup of rolled oats with milk and 1⁄2 cup of berries = about 6 grams of fibre
  • snack: one banana = about 2 grams
  • lunch: two cups of salad vegetables, 1⁄2 cup of four-bean mix, and canned tuna = about 9 grams
  • snack: 30 grams of almonds = about 3 grams
  • dinner: 1.5 cups of stir-fried vegetables with tofu or chicken, one cup of cooked brown rice = about 10 grams
  • supper: 1⁄2 a punnet of strawberries with some yoghurt = about 3 grams.

Bringing it all together

Vegetables are a key part of a healthy, balanced diet, packed with fibre that supports digestion, blood glucose control, weight management, and reduces risk of chronic disease.

However, the nutritional value of them can vary depending on the type and the cooking method used.

By understanding the fibre content in different veggies and how preparation methods affect it, we can make informed dietary choices to improve our overall health.The Conversation

Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of Queensland and Emily Burch, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Lecturer, Southern Cross University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Top image: Canva

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Comments

  • This was an interesting read, I always knew they weren’t all equal, but sometimes you forget or get into a cycle of what you are buying, so you might miss the higher fibre veggies. Especially for me, when purchasing for the family, some won’t eat this, some won’t eat that!

  • Interesting, it is always a balancing act trying to get enough of everything in to each meal. I agree with the comment above regarding eating the rainbow to get all the nutritional needs met. The problem I have is motivation to plan, prep and prepare the great nutritious meals for the family!

  • This is why it is important to have a lot of colour and variety in your diet, especially when it comes to fruit and veg. Spinach might come in as being low in fibre, but it is higher in iron, which is something that is very important too. There are definitely some great ones that are high in fibre that are relatively cheap and easy to add to food too like broccoli.

  • I was surprised after reading this article about some of the veggie that were low in fibre. I would have thought asparagus would have been high in fibre. Great article and thoroughly enjoyed reading it, it was very informative and a good timely reminder about vegetables and ensuring you get enough fibre in your daily diet.

  • I do eat a lot of broccoli and carrots, but need to add a few more of the high fiber veggies to my diet.

  • I try and maintain a balanced healthy diet that includes an adequate amount of fibre but to be honest I wasn’t aware of which fruits and vegetables where high in fibre and which weren’t so this was definitely an interesting article for me I love the daily meal plan as well. 🙂

  • Fibre rich foods the best way to indulge and fill up those hollow legs of the mere males. No need for any supplements when it is food science in the kitchen.

  • I’m surprised to see that lettuce is low in fiber as I thought it was one of the best foods to have and certainly helps to keep me regular. I also thought that mushrooms were high in fiber. I’ve learnt something new by reading this article. I’ll still keep eating my salads and mushrooms though.

  • I love all the veggies listed. I’m not too worried about having enough fibre as I eat lots of fruit too. I love pumpkin

  • Looking at the lists I find that I eat a good variety of veggies from both the high fibre and the low fiber lists and all of these vegetables will also provide a variety of nutrients that we need as part of a healthy diet. I did find this article very informative.

  • Wow, there are a lot of foods I eat that while healthy, don’t include much fibre. Pretty much everything in a garden salad is listed there and spinach! Who knew? That’s not to say the other veggies are to be avoided though. Spinach in particular is high in iron. I did see that some of my favourite veggies are ones that I do eat and I always have wholemeal bread.

  • I’ve never really thought about the fibre context in vegetables but I did notice that a lot of the high fibre ones can be quite high is sweetness as well. I worry about the pesticides that are on them also. I really think it’s important for them to be organic and free from pesticides.

  • I do love veggies and so do the rest of the family. I had never stopped to think about the fibre content of vegetables before. I am surprised that avocados are high in fibre. An interesting article which will have me rethink the vegetables served up in our house and which ones to invest in planting in the garden.

  • I very informative article. It’s interesting that many don’t realise that juicing takes away a lot of the fibre. Best to consume the entire product. Luckily our household loves fruit & veggies. I can feel the difference if I don’t have veggies for a few days and I crave them.

  • If you tend to stay away from anything in a wrapper then you’re on the right track! Growing your own is even better! Cook up excess and freeze for when it’s out of season and your taste buds, and gut, will thank you later! A roast veg salad with fresh Spinach leaves and sunflower seeds is filling, tasty and great for you!

  • I have always been told to “eat the rainbow” include a good mix of colours in your diet and you are more likely to meet your nutrient and fibre needs. I was vegan for serval years and a high fibre diet definitely takes some getting used to though especially if you aren’t used to eating fibre rich foods

  • Safe to say that eating all sorts of fruits and vegetables are good for our gut health and overall wellbeing! We need to be consuming more of this stuff and less processsed food overall to keep our bodies healthy. Fibre is definitely so important for us and keeps our bodies moving

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