Top 10 Nuts and Seeds Highest in Fiber

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Dr. Patricia Shelton
Evidence Based. References sourced from PubMed.
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Top 10 Nuts and Seeds Highest in Fiber

Nuts and seeds are renowned for their heart-healthy benefits, due in large part to the fiber found in nuts. (1)

Nuts and seeds high in fiber include chia seeds, flax seeds, squash seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried coconut, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, pine nuts, pistachios, and chestnuts. The daily value (DV) for fiber is 28g per day (2), and a one-ounce portion of high fiber nuts or seeds provide between 5 and 35% of that daily value. A one-ounce portion of nuts or seeds is roughly equal to a handful.

Chia and flax seeds have the added benefit of being high in heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids. Almonds, walnuts, and pistachios have been shown to lower cholesterol.

Any of the fiber-rich nuts and seeds listed below are a great addition to a healthy diet, with 1-2 ounces of nuts or seeds being a good daily portion size.

Below are the top 10 nuts and seeds highest in fiber. For more see the extended list of over 40 nuts and seeds high in fiber.

List of Nuts and Seeds High in Fiber

Chia Seeds1 Chia Seeds
Fiber
per oz(~2 Tblsp)
Fiber
per 100g
Fiber
per 200 Calories
10g
(35% DV)
34g
(123% DV)
14g
(51% DV)

Chia seeds are also high in Omega 3 Fatty Acids.

Flax Seeds2 Flax Seeds
Fiber
per Oz
Fiber
per 100g
Fiber
per 200 Calories
8g
(28% DV)
27g
(98% DV)
10g
(37% DV)

Flax seeds are also high in Omega 3 Fatty Acids.

Squash and Pumpkin Seeds3 Squash and Pumpkin Seeds
Fiber
per 1 Oz Handful
Fiber
per 100g
Fiber
per 200 Calories
5g
(19% DV)
18g
(66% DV)
8g
(29% DV)

Squash and pumpkin seeds are also very high in protein.

Dried Coconut4 Dried Coconut
Fiber
per Oz
Fiber
per 100g
Fiber
per 200 Calories
5g
(17% DV)
16g
(58% DV)
5g
(18% DV)
Sesame Seeds5 Sesame Seeds
Fiber
per Oz
Fiber
per 100g
Fiber
per 200 Calories
4g
(14% DV)
14g
(50% DV)
5g
(18% DV)
Almonds6 Almonds
Fiber
per 1oz Handful
Fiber
per 100g
Fiber
per 200 Calories
4g
(13% DV)
13g
(45% DV)
4g
(15% DV)
Pine Nuts7 Pine Nuts
Fiber
per 1 Oz Handful
Fiber
per 100g
Fiber
per 200 Calories
3g
(11% DV)
11g
(38% DV)
3g
(12% DV)
Pistachios8 Pistachios
Fiber
per 1 Oz Handful
Fiber
per 100g
Fiber
per 200 Calories
3g
(11% DV)
11g
(38% DV)
4g
(14% DV)

Pistachios are also very high in potassium.

Hazelnuts9 Hazelnuts
Fiber
per 1 Oz Handful
Fiber
per 100g
Fiber
per 200 Calories
3g
(10% DV)
10g
(35% DV)
3g
(11% DV)
Pecans10 Pecans
Fiber
per Oz
Fiber
per 100g
Fiber
per 200 Calories
3g
(10% DV)
10g
(34% DV)
3g
(10% DV)
Macadamia Nuts11 Macadamia Nuts
Fiber
per 1 Oz Handful
Fiber
per 100g
Fiber
per 200 Calories
2g
(9% DV)
9g
(31% DV)
2g
(9% DV)
Sunflower Seeds12 Sunflower Seeds
Fiber
per 1 Oz Handful
Fiber
per 100g
Fiber
per 200 Calories
2g
(9% DV)
9g
(31% DV)
3g
(11% DV)

Sunflower seeds are very high in Vitamin E.

Peanuts13 Peanuts (Dry Roasted)
Fiber
per Oz
Fiber
per 100g
Fiber
per 200 Calories
2g
(9% DV)
8g
(30% DV)
3g
(10% DV)
Brazil Nuts14 Brazil Nuts
Fiber
per 1 Oz Handful
Fiber
per 100g
Fiber
per 200 Calories
2g
(8% DV)
8g
(27% DV)
2g
(8% DV)

Brazil nuts are very high in selenium.

Chestnuts15 Chestnuts
Fiber
per oz(~3 Chestnuts)
Fiber
per 100g
Fiber
per 200 Calories
1g
(5% DV)
5g
(18% DV)
4g
(15% DV)

How much fiber do you need each day?

The daily value (DV) for fiber is 28 grams per day. (2) This is the amount shown on food labels to help the average person compare the health benefits of different foods. However, for many people, this amount is actually too low.

The adequate intake (AI) is a more accurate daily target, and varies by age and gender. The AI for fiber is up to 38 grams per day. (3) We've included the specific values below for various groups below, so you can determine what your personal target should be.

The average American consumes far less than the DV for fiber, let alone the AI for their demographic group. (4)

Here is the breakout of the adequate intake by age and gender for fiber: (3)

Life StageRDA
Children
1-3 years old19g
4-8 years old25g
Males
9-13 years old31g
14-50 years old38g
50+ years old30g
Females
9-18 years old26g
19-50 years old25g
50+ years old21g
Pregnancy
14-50 years old29g
Lactation
14-50 years old29g
Extensive research has been done to determine how much fiber is needed to provide protection against cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, and other serious health concerns. This research shows that men need more fiber than women in order to get the maximum health benefits, which is why the AI targets are higher for men. (3)

About the Data

Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.

You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.

Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.

About Nutrient Targets

Setting targets can provide a guide to healthy eating.

Some of the most popular targets include:
  • Daily Value (%DV) - The daily value (%DV) is a general guideline for consumption that will prevent deficiency of a particular nutrient in most people. The %DV refers to the percentage of an amount that's found in a single serving of a food. It also accounts for absorption factors. It is set by the U.S. FDA.
  • Recommended Dietary Allowance (%RDA) - The RDA sets an average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97.5%) healthy individuals. It's more specific than the daily value, and varies by age and gender. The RDA is set by the US National Institutes of Health.
  • Reference Dietary Intake (%RDI) -The reference dietary intake is similar to the recommended daily allowance, but is specific to age and gender. The RDI for amino acids is set by the U.N. World Health Organization.
  • Adequate Intake (%AI) - This value is primarily used in reference to omega-3 and omega-6 fats. The Adequate Intake is set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. Because there is less evidence to determine the ideal targets for consumption of these nutrients, the specific amount is considered to be less reliable. Using the term Adequate Intake, rather than one of the other terms, helps to emphasize that the ideal intake of that particular nutrient has not yet been scientifically determined.

See the Guide to Recommended Daily Intakes for more information.

Want to set your own targets? Sign up for an account and set custom targets in the daily meal planner.

Use the ranking tool links below to select foods and create your own food list to share or print.


View more nutrients with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.

Data Sources and References

  1. Thomas M. Barber, Stefan Kabisch, Andreas F. H. Pfeiffer and Martin O. Weickert The Health Benefits of Dietary Fibre Nutrients. 2020 Oct; 12(10): 3209.
  2. FDA on Daily Values
  3. Institute of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes
  4. Diane Quagliani, MBA, RDN, LDN and Patricia Felt-Gunderson, MS, RDN, LDN Closing America’s Fiber Intake Gap Am J Lifestyle Med. 2017 Jan-Feb; 11(1): 80–85. Published online 2016 Jul 7. doi: 10.1177/1559827615588079
  5. U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central
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