Quiz: Which Food Would Win In a Fiber Face-Off?

Lauren GniazdowskiUpdated: Feb. 08, 2017

Dietary fiber promotes digestive health and keeps you fuller longer: Can you spot which food has more of this super nutrient?

Fiber Face-Off: Pears or Bananas?

Which has more fiber: A pear, or a banana?

Answer: Pears!

Those pesky fibrous strings on your banana may provide you with the fruit’s 2.6 grams of fiber, but the pear contains 4 grams of fiber—nearly twice the amount of the average banana.

Fiber Face-Off: Avocados or Whole-Wheat Spaghetti?

Which has more fiber: An avocado, or a cup of cooked whole-wheat spaghetti?

Answer: Avocados!

Another good reason to get your guac on. One whole avocado has 18 grams of fiber (yes, you read that right!), while whole-wheat spaghetti will give you about 6 grams of fiber per serving.

Fiber Face-Off: Bran Cereal or Oatmeal?

Which has more fiber: A cup of bran cereal, or a cup of oatmeal?

Answer: Bran Cereal!

Pour yourself a serving of bran cereal and you’ll get a whopping 10 to 14 grams of fiber. Cooked oatmeal has just half that amount.

Fiber Face-Off: Raspberries or Prunes?

Which has more fiber: A cup of raspberries, or 5 canned prunes?

Answer: Raspberries!

Though prunes are notoriously synonymous with fiber and staying regular, raspberries are the victor here with 8.4 grams of fiber. Canned prunes contain just 3.3 grams of fiber per serving, and dried prunes have even less (3 grams).

Fiber Face-Off: Almonds or Frozen Peas?

Which has more fiber: a couple of handfuls of almonds (about 30), or half a cup of frozen sweet peas?

Answer: They have the same amount!

It may come as no surprise that nuts are high in fiber, with 3 grams for about 30 almonds, but frozen sweet peas have an equal amount.

Fiber Face-Off: Blackberries or Black Beans?

Which has more fiber: A cup of blackberries, or half a cup of black beans?

Answer: They have (almost) the same amount!

Beans are known for their high-fiber content, but blackberries can be just as beneficial. A cup of the fruit boasts an impressive 7.6 grams of fiber, and half a cup of boiled black beans just a bit more (7.5 grams).

Fiber Face-Off: Shredded Wheat ‘N Bran Cereal or Red Kidney Beans?

Which has more fiber: A cup of Shredded Wheat ‘N Bran Cereal, or half a cup of canned red kidney beans?

Answer: Red Kidney Beans!

Don’t be deceived by the cereal’s name or ingredient list. Red kidney beans are a natural source of fiber, with 8.4 grams per serving. The cereal, though still a great source, is about a gram short of the beans.

Fiber Face-Off: Peanut Butter or Jelly?

Which has more fiber: 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, or the same amount of strawberry jelly?

Photos.com/Thinkstock

Answer: Peanut Butter!

While real berries are filling, the jelly doesn’t provide a single gram of fiber. On the other side of the sandwich, peanut butter provides 2 grams of fiber.

Fiber Face-Off: Fiber Cereal Bars or Artichokes?

Which has more fiber: One fiber cereal bar, or one artichoke?

Answer: They have (almost) the same amount!

Artichokes, like avocados, are naturally rich in fiber; one artichoke has 10 grams. The cereal bar contains nearly as much, with 9 grams of fiber in a single bar.

Fiber Face-Off: Dried Figs or Canned Pumpkin?

Which has more fiber: 3 dried figs, or a cup of canned pumpkin?

Answer: Canned Pumpkin!

Though figs are relatively high in fiber (6.9 grams for three), they don’t compare when it comes to canned pumpkin, which contains 10 grams of fiber per cup.

Originally Published: July 30, 2012

Originally Published in Reader's Digest