5 High Fiber Breakfast Ideas, For the Win
“5 High Fiber Breakfast Ideas, For the Win” was written by Emily Balea-Hopkins RD, LDN & edited/reviewed by Aly Bouzek, MS, RDN.
The saying that, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” has some truth to it! Skipping breakfast can wreak havoc on your body, cause blood sugar drops, headaches, and you will probably overindulge when you do finally eat.
Learning about eating a nutritious breakfast (and a high fiber one at that!) will help to fuel you throughout the day and can prevent blood sugar drops and spikes. Let’s learn more below.
Why Start Your Day With High Fiber Breakfast?
Did you know that skipping breakfast not only leaves your stomach growling, but it can also put you at risk for developing certain diseases?
Starting off your day with breakfast can have many health benefits, including decreasing your risk of cardiovascular disease. (1)
A 2019 study with over 6,500 adults showed that not eating breakfast can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular disease-related death. (1)
Another study shows that people who skip breakfast are more at risk of obesity or being overweight. (2)
These outcomes could be due to overeating during the day when breakfast is neglected. Overeating can lead to being overweight, which in turn can increase the risk for developing cardiovascular disease. (1)
Are you convinced to start eating breakfast? How about adding in a high fiber breakfast every morning for even more health benefits? Starting your day with a high fiber breakfast can increase your energy level and help keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Fiber Facts
Fiber forms a gel in our intestines, which helps slow digestion while preventing blood sugar spikes. It also helps get rid of the bad cholesterol in your bloodstream by preventing absorption into your body.
The FDA recommends that adults consume 28 grams of fiber to help (3):
- Relieve constipation
- Maintain a healthy weight by providing satiety
- Decrease the risk of diabetes by balancing blood sugars
- Reduce risk of colon cancer by promoting healthy bowel movements
- Lessen risk of heart disease by helping cholesterol levels
There are two types of fiber you can include for a high fiber breakfast: soluble and insoluble.
Insoluble fiber helps promote bowel movements and can be found in foods such as whole grains, nuts, beans, and vegetables.
Soluble fiber can help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels and is found in oats, beans, apples, and psyllium.
Eating a wide variety of fiber foods derived from nuts, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables is a great way to get all of fiber’s health benefits.
Starting your day with a high fiber breakfast can add extra nutrients in the morning as well as an added boost of energy to jump start your day.
Fiber Breakdown
What foods have fiber? Let’s take a look at some fiber-filled fruits, vegetables, grains, and protein sources to help create high fiber breakfast options (4):
Grains
| High Fiber Breakfast Grains | Serving Size | Fiber (grams) |
| Bulgar, cooked | ½ cup | 4.1 |
| High fiber ready-made cereals, unsweetened | ½ cup | 14 |
| Oat bran | ½ cup | 2.9 |
| Popcorn | 3 cups | 5.8 |
| Shredded wheat ready-made cereals | 1 cup | 6.2 |
| Spelt, cooked | ½ cup | 3.8 |
| Whole wheat crackers | 1 ounce | 2.9 |
| Whole wheat tortillas | 1 ounce | 2.8 |
Fruit
| High Fiber Breakfast Fruits | Serving Size | Fiber (grams) |
| Apple with skin | 1 medium | 4.8 |
| Avocado | ½ cup | 5 |
| Blackberries | 1 cup | 7.6 |
| Blueberries | 1 cup | 6.2 |
| Grapefruit | 1 fruit | 5 |
| Guava | 1 cup | 8.9 |
| Pear | 1 medium | 5.5 |
| Raspberries | 1 cup | 8 |
Protein
| High Fiber Breakfast Protein | Serving Size | Fiber (grams) |
| Almonds | 1 ounce | 3.5 |
| Black beans, cooked | ½ cup | 7.5 |
| Chia seeds | 1 Tbsp | 4.1 |
| Flaxseeds | 1 Tbsp | 2.8 |
| Pistachios | 1 ounce | 2.9 |
| Pumpkin seeds | 1 ounce | 5.2 |
| Navy beans, cooked | ½ cup | 9.6 |
| Sunflower seeds | 1 ounce | 3.1 |
Vegetables
| High Fiber Breakfast Vegetables | Serving Size | Fiber (grams) |
| Artichoke | 1 cup | 9.6 |
| Broccoli, cooked | 1 cup | 5.2 |
| Cauliflower, cooked | 1 cup | 4.9 |
| Kale, cooked | 1 cup | 4.7 |
| Lentils, cooked | ½ cup | 7.8 |
| Pumpkin, canned | 1 cup | 7.1 |
| Spinach, cooked | 1 cup | 4.3 |
| Turnip greens, cooked | 1 cup | 5 |
Five High Fiber Breakfast Ideas
We now know some options for delicious fiber-filled foods.
So, let’s apply what we’ve learned to create high fiber breakfasts that will keep us energized throughout the day.
Below, you will find five easy ways of incorporating high fiber foods in your breakfast.
With all of this inspiration, we hope that you’ll enjoy creating your breakfast meals!
Add High Fiber Fruit (& Veggies!) to Your Smoothies
The options can be endless with smoothie ideas. Start with a liquid of 1–2 cups of almond milk, coconut milk, coconut water, or regular water.
Then, add in your base, which will be your veggies and fruit. Yes, we said veggies! Many veggies (like spinach) can be added to smoothies without their taste or flavor being noticed.
Your fruits and veggies base should be 1–2 cups. This can be any fruits and veggies that you like. Bananas, mangos, pineapple, and berries are tasty choices. Some common veggies to mix in include kale and spinach.
If these fruits and veggies are frozen when adding them to your smoothie, then they will add a creaminess to your smoothie. Or, add in some ice for a frothy high fiber breakfast smoothie texture.
Then, you could add some mix-ins such as hemp seeds, herbs and spices, or nut butters for even more fiber, flavor, and nutrients.
Vegetables for Breakfast
Stir fries and frittatas are a great meal prep idea to have an easy breakfast option during the work week to warm up in the microwave.
Try an egg and veggie stir fry with eggs, broccoli, cauliflower rice, diced bell peppers, and carrots all sauteed on the same pan in olive oil.
You can add whatever veggies you would like in your stir fry. Purchasing a frozen veggie stir fry mix can save time while still providing fiber.
After cooking your veggie egg stir fry, season with salt and pepper. You can also add soy sauce or coconut aminos (a soy sauce alternative) to your high fiber breakfast.
Or, try making a veggie and egg frittata with your favorite vegetables. Our favorite is a tomato, spinach, and feta frittata with a slice of whole grain bread.
High Fiber Cereal
Choose high fiber cereals with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. Look for bran, oat bran, wheat bran, and whole wheat cereals. This can be one of the most quick and convenient ways to add fiber in the mornings, especially when in a time-crunch.
Visit Top High Calorie Cereals and The Ultimate List of Cereals That are High in Fiber for even more ideas!
Avocado Toast
Avocado Toast (on whole wheat bread, one-two slices) brings in a total of 12 grams of fiber, and is trendy and yummy. Simply toast your whole wheat bread of choice (make sure it is whole wheat for the extra fiber), and add some mashed avocado.
For extra flavor, try “everything bagel” seasoning, or chopped fresh herbs such as basil or cilantro. For extra protein, you can also top with an egg.
To get even more creative, try adding sliced jalapenos, a drizzle of olive oil, sliced tomatoes, or any other veggies that you like. (Adding fibrous vegetables = more fiber in your diet!).
Overnight Oats
Overnight oats will vary on grams of fiber. However, with just your starting base of 1 cup of oats provides 8 grams of fiber. They are also a great meal to prep and have available for busy work-week mornings.
Make sure to use old fashioned rolled oats, as quick cooking oats will result in your breakfast being more watery and less creamy.
The flavor options are endless with adding fruit (berries or bananas), and other mix-ins such as chia seeds, hemp seeds, nuts, dried fruit, and spices like cinnamon, sea salt, and nutmeg.
When wanting a sweeter flavor for your high fiber breakfast of overnight oats, try adding natural sweeteners like local raw honey, vanilla or almond extract, maple syrup, or chocolate chips.
How to Make Overnight Oats
Simply add equal parts liquid (water, almond milk, coconut milk, or regular milk) with old fashioned oats and favorite add-ins.
For example, in a container that you can seal (such as a mason jar), add 1 cup of almond milk and 1 cup of old fashioned oats. You can also add yogurt to make it a bit thicker.
Mix all the ingredients in the mason jar the evening before, and let the mixture sit in the fridge overnight for an easy breakfast in the morning.
This breakfast can be eaten hot or cold. And don’t be afraid to play with flavor combinations. We love pineapple and coconut flakes (tropical), peanut butter and strawberries (PB&J sandwich), and cocoa powder and coffee/espresso (mocha).
If you prepare overnight oats with fruit, be sure to eat them within three days, so the fruit doesn’t spoil (it may be hard to determine spoilage due to fruit being mixed with other ingredients).
More High Fiber Breakfast Tips
There are many benefits of fiber helping to prevent diseases, and we’ve explored a variety of high fiber breakfast ideas. If you are ready to start increasing your fiber, then let’s review some helpful steps.
When adding high fiber breakfast foods, and fiber in general, remember to slowly increase your fiber over two to three weeks. Too much fiber at once can cause stomach distress such as bloating, gas, and cramps.
In addition to slowly increasing your fiber intake, drinking enough water is also helpful when increasing fiber in your diet, to help prevent stomach distress. It is generally recommended to drink half your body weight in ounces of water.
If you are considering taking a fiber supplement, remember to always check with your dietitian or primary care doctor prior to starting. There are many fiber supplement options, so discuss with your healthcare provider to make a selection that is best for you.
We’d love to know: which high fiber breakfast recipe will you try first?