Close
Photo:Getty Images
Getty Images
No matter what time your day starts, the first meal sets the tone—and can give you an energy boost to start the day.
A high-fiber breakfast can help you meet the recommended intake of 28 to 34 grams of fiber per day.Not sure what foods to eat to start your day with fiber? We have 10 delicious ideas—all dietitian-approved.
22 Healthy Breakfast Recipes You’ll Want to Make Forever
Health Benefits of Fiber
When you eat breakfast (or any meal) withvery little to no fiber, you may have less stable blood sugar levels, you may get hungry long before lunch and your digestion may be off.
On the other hand, there are manyhealth benefitsto getting the fiber your body needs, including:
The 10 Best High-Fiber Foods to Eat for Breakfast
1. Oats
Thanks to their fiber,oatsare well known for their ability to lower LDL cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar levels. But did you know that oats also provideprebiotics, which help feed the “good” bacteria in your gut? Over time, this can shift your microbiome, crowding out “bad” bacteria and allowing the good germs to proliferate, which plays a role in nutrient absorption and digestion, among other functions.
Oats are a versatile ingredient for mixing together overnight oats or bakingoat muffinsto enjoy while on the go.
Our 19 Most Popular Overnight Oat Recipes
2. Muesli
Want to jazz up your oats? Muesli packs rolled oats, dried fruits, nuts and seeds for a breakfast loaded with fiber, texture and flavors. Addapple slices and ground cinnamonfor a hearty muesli that supplies 9 grams of fiber per serving. Alternatively, makeScandinavian Muesliwith chopped dried or fresh fruits and nuts, all for 5 grams of fiber per serving.
3. Berries
If you love berries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries pair perfectly with breakfast. Both fresh and frozen berries have an impressive nutritional profile, including fiber and vitamin C, and they’re one of the bestfoods to help reduce inflammation.
Eat a berry-packed breakfast with ourBerry Almond Smoothie Bowl,Peanut Butter & Berries Waffle Sandwich,orSpinach & Egg Scramble with Raspberries.
4. Wheat Bran
If you are looking for an easy way to boost your fiber intake, try bran for breakfast. As a bonus (and surprise) benefit, wheat bran may produce lesssmelly fartsbecause it contains insoluble fiber that encourages food to move through your digestive system, ultimately decreasing the risk of constipation.
Bran doesn’t have to be bland: Add a spoonful or two to your favorite muffin and pancakes, like theseBanana-Bran MuffinsandFluffy Oat Bran Pancakes.
5. Avocado
Avocadosare ideal for breakfast because they are full of nutrients, such as vitamin E, folate, magnesium, potassium and more. Half an avocado has an impressive 7 grams of fiber, or one-third of your daily recommended fiber intake.
More importantly, avocado’s smooth and buttery texture makes it an excellent ingredient forsmoothies, paired withegg and toastand in pancake breakfast wraps.
6. White Beans
Speaking of avocado toast, you can also top yours withwhite beans. A half-cup of white beans contains 6 grams of fiber, and is a good source of iron, potassium and folate.Stuff white beans into a plant-based breakfast burrito like ourVegan Freezer Breakfast Burrito. The white beans and tofu in this recipe mimic the texture of scrambled eggs.
7. Black Beans
Like white beans, black beans are another versatile breakfast ingredient, with 9 grams of fiber per ½-cup serving.Beans can contribute to gut health because they contain resistant starch that doesn’t break down during digestion. As this starch arrives in the colon, gut bacteria feed on it to produceshort-chain fatty acidsthat help reduce inflammation.
Sweet Potato, Corn & Black Bean Hash
8. Chia Seeds
Tiny but mighty,chia seedsprovide 10 grams of fiber in 2 tablespoons, more than 35% of your daily recommended fiber intake.Notably, they have a type of fiber calledsoluble fiber, which absorbs water and expands, slowing digestion, promoting satiety and helping manage blood sugar levels.
Add chia seeds to breakfast cereal, hot oatmeal orovernight oats, incorporate them in this3-Ingredient Chia Chocolate Strawberry Breakfast Puddingor use them to make quick jam for ourPeanut Butter & Chia Berry Jam English Muffin.
9. Whole-Grain Bread
Whole-grain breadscan be made with a variety of whole-grain flour types, from barley and buckwheat to oats, wheat, brown rice and spelt. They typically contain at least 2 grams of fiber per slice.Top whole-grain toast with other high-fiber foods, like those on our list—fruits, beans, avocado—for a breakfast loaded with fiber.
10. Whole-Grain Pancakes
The Bottom Line
With just 7% of adults in the United States reaching their fiber goals, filling up on a fiber-rich breakfast can help.There are a myriad of fiber-rich foods to choose from as part of your breakfast. When upping your fiber intake, make sure you also drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to keep the fiber moving through your digestive tract.
Remember that breakfast meals also don’t need to be overly complicated—you can makehigh-fiber breakfast meals in just three steps. Be sure also to visit ourHigh-Fiber Breakfast Recipesfor additional inspiration.
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Tell us why!
SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Agriculture.2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Make Every Bite Count With the Dietary Guidelines.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Avocados, raw, all commercial varieties.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Beans, white, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Black beans, from canned, no added fat.Warman DJ, Jia H, Kato H.The Potential Roles of Probiotics, Resistant Starch, and Resistant Proteins in Ameliorating Inflammation during Aging (Inflammaging).Nutrients. 2022;14(4):747. doi:10.3390/nu14040747U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Seeds, chia seeds, dried.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Bread, multi-grain (includes whole-grain).American Society for Nutrition.Most Americans are not getting enough fiber in our diets.
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Agriculture.2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Make Every Bite Count With the Dietary Guidelines.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Avocados, raw, all commercial varieties.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Beans, white, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Black beans, from canned, no added fat.Warman DJ, Jia H, Kato H.The Potential Roles of Probiotics, Resistant Starch, and Resistant Proteins in Ameliorating Inflammation during Aging (Inflammaging).Nutrients. 2022;14(4):747. doi:10.3390/nu14040747U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Seeds, chia seeds, dried.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Bread, multi-grain (includes whole-grain).American Society for Nutrition.Most Americans are not getting enough fiber in our diets.
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Make Every Bite Count With the Dietary Guidelines.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Avocados, raw, all commercial varieties.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Beans, white, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Black beans, from canned, no added fat.Warman DJ, Jia H, Kato H.The Potential Roles of Probiotics, Resistant Starch, and Resistant Proteins in Ameliorating Inflammation during Aging (Inflammaging).Nutrients. 2022;14(4):747. doi:10.3390/nu14040747U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Seeds, chia seeds, dried.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Bread, multi-grain (includes whole-grain).American Society for Nutrition.Most Americans are not getting enough fiber in our diets.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Make Every Bite Count With the Dietary Guidelines.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Avocados, raw, all commercial varieties.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Beans, white, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Black beans, from canned, no added fat.
Warman DJ, Jia H, Kato H.The Potential Roles of Probiotics, Resistant Starch, and Resistant Proteins in Ameliorating Inflammation during Aging (Inflammaging).Nutrients. 2022;14(4):747. doi:10.3390/nu14040747
American Society for Nutrition.Most Americans are not getting enough fiber in our diets.
