Many people underestimate the importance of eating enough high-fiber foods. In fact, most Americans are only consuming about half the amount of fiber they should be having on a daily basis. Everyone needs to eat enough high-fiber foods in order to support the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut and normalize digestion.
One of the most common complaints after transitioning from a high-carb diet to a low-carb, high fat diet is digestion issues, especially constipation.
In order to prevent or improve these keto flu symptoms, and avoid digestive issues like constipation and diarrhea, we need to eat fiber on keto. Eating a diet that’s made up mostly of fats may throw off your digestion. That’s why you can’t forget to add plenty of high-fiber foods to your diet while on keto.
Here’s one thing people get confused about when they are counting their net cards for the day: Your “net carbs” is the amount of carbohydrates that remain once dietary fiber is taken into account.
Fiber is indigestable when it’s eaten, so most people don’t count grams of fiber towards their daily carb allotment. Think of it this way: total carbs – grams of fiber = net carbs.
Best High-Fiber Keto Foods
1. Non-Starchy Vegetables
Non-starchy vegetables are an essential part of the keto diet because they provide essential vitamins and minerals, are packed with antioxidants and provide plenty of fiber. Plus, when you load up on veggies, you are adding volume to your meals so that you feel more satisfied. You are also working to reduce inflammation, increase your antioxidant intake and support the health of your heart.
Some of the best high-fiber keto-friendly veggies include:
- leafy greens
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- cabbage
- Brussels sprouts
- peppers
- asparagus
- zucchini
- artichokes
- mushrooms
2. Avocado
Avocado is a fat-based fruit that also serves as a great source of fiber, potassium, folate and vitamin C. It contains about 10 grams of fiber per cup. Avocado is a staple keto fiber food because of its healthy fat content.
3. Coconut
Coconut is an excellent high-fat source of fiber. Did you know that coconut actually has 4-to-6 times the amount of fiber as oat bran? A cup of coconut contains about 7 grams of fiber, along with omega-6 fatty acids, manganese, folate and selenium. You can eat coconut flakes, coconut chips, coconut flour and coconut oil.
4. Nuts
It’s okay to eat nuts on keto in small-to-moderate amounts. They are good sources of fiber and trace minerals, so when eaten in moderation, they can aid digestion while keeping you in ketosis. Research also shows that nut consumption improves metabolic syndrome and has cardiovascular benefits.
High-fiber nuts contain between 13 and 5 grams of fiber per cup. You can eat whole nuts as a keto snack, chopped nuts added to salads or veggie dishes, nut butters or ground nuts in place of flour for baking. Some of the best nuts to eat on keto include:
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Pistachios
- Brazil nuts
- Pecans
- Hazelnuts
- Pine nuts
- Macadamia nuts
5. Seeds
Seeds are another high-fiber food that you can eat on keto, but only occasionally to stay in ketosis. Full seeds, ground seeds and seed butters will help to increase your fiber intake and minimize keto flu symptoms like constipation. Plus, they supply important nutrients, including essential fatty acids and protein, and are known to support cardiovascular health.
The best high-fiber seeds to consume as part of a ketogenic diet include:
- Sesame seeds
- Flax seeds
- Chia seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Pumpkin seeds
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