7 High Fiber Foods to Balance Your Blood Sugar

Miranda Galati, MHSc, RD

January 20, 2025

As a registered dietitian, I know how powerful fiber can be for balancing blood sugar and improving your health. This powerful nutrient slows digestion, prevents blood sugar spikes, and keeps your energy steady, helping you feel your best. The really good news? Getting plenty of fiber doesn’t have to involve a steady diet of bland or boring meals. Some of nature’s most delicious offerings happen to be naturally high in this nutrient.

Explore these seven fiber-rich foods that stabilize blood sugar while bringing flavor and variety to your meals.

How fiber balances blood sugar

When you eat carbohydrates, your body converts them into glucose, a type of sugar that powers your cells and keeps you energized. Glucose enters your bloodstream and travels throughout your body to fuel your cells.

When sugar enters your bloodstream too quickly, though, it can trigger a blood sugar spike followed by a crash, leaving you feeling tired, moody, nauseous, or jittery.

Fiber helps slow the release of glucose into your bloodstream, creating a steadier rise and fall in blood sugar levels. By eating more fiber, you’ll experience more stable energy and support your overall health.

Read this: 6 Mental Health Effects of Eating Too Much Sugar

How much fiber do you need?

The USDA recommends 25 grams of fiber per day for women and 38 grams per day for men. In general, more fiber is even better, especially when it’s coming from nutrient-dense and whole food sources. Then again, there is such a thing as too much. If you experience symptoms like gas, bloating, and abdominal cramping, you may be overdoing it. Try easing your fiber intake up slowly, rather than all at once.

The best high-fiber foods to balance blood sugar

1. Black beans

“Black beans are a great source of both fiber and protein,” says Alissa Palladino MS, RDN, LD, CPT. “This combination of nutrients slows down digestion and absorption, keeping blood sugar steady and helping you feel full for longer.”

Bonus: beans are one of the most cost-effective ways to add a big boost of fiber to your diet.

If you’re unsure how to use them, add them to any meal that uses ground meat. For every one pound of meat, add one can of black beans. Just make sure you rinse them thoroughly to get rid of excess sodium.

Read this: How to Turn a Can of Black Beans Into Dinner

2. Avocados

Your avocado toast habit might be better for you than you think. Known for their healthy fats, avocados have an impressive amount of fiber — in fact, a single fruit contains a whopping 13.5 grams.

Avocados are especially helpful for regulating blood sugar because they contain fiber and fats. “[These fats] further help to slow digestion and cause a more steady rise in blood sugar,” says Amy Davis, RDN of The Balanced Dietitian.

Swap mashed avocado for cheese in sandwiches for a delicious fiber boost. Or for an on-the-go option, Davis recommends mashed avocado snack packs with 100% avocado on the ingredients list.

3. Pears

Step aside, apples — pears are just as convenient and delicious, and they’re packed with fiber too.

One large pear contains 7 grams of fiber with only 131 calories. And while pears do contain naturally-occurring sugars, their fiber content helps reduce blood sugar spikes. The result: eating them may make you feel more energized and less lethargic.

Serve sliced pears with melted almond butter and a dash of cinnamon for a sweet snack without the blood sugar rollercoaster. Or add chopped pears to yogurt bowls or oatmeal. Just make sure they’re ripe for the best flavor and enjoyment.

Read this: 5 Poached Pear Recipes for a Healthy Dessert

4. Flax seeds

Three tablespoons of ground flaxseed contains almost 6 grams of fiber, which can make an impressive dent in your daily fiber requirements. They’re also a source of antioxidants and healthy fats, which can support heart health and overall health.

“Flaxseeds contain soluble fiber, which forms a gel-like substance in the gut,” says Jennifer Nicole Bianchini, MS, RDN, IFNCP, RYT, founder and Functional Nutrition Specialist at Body to Soul Health. “This slower glucose absorption helps prevent blood sugar spikes and lows and also improves insulin sensitivity.”

Bianchini recommends adding flaxseeds to smoothies, salads, yogurt bowls, acai bowls, and oats. But try to buy them ground, not whole. “Ground flaxseeds are the most bioavailable, meaning the body can absorb the nutrients more efficiently and you get the added benefits of healthy anti-inflammatory fats, too.”

New to flaxseeds? Start with just 1 tablespoon to get used to their flavor and texture.

5. Lentils

“Lentils are a wonderful choice for boosting fiber,” says Julia Stevens, MPH, RDN, CPT, owner of Active Nutrition LLC, a virtual practice located in metro Detroit. “A half cup of cooked lentils contains about 7.5 grams of fiber. [They] are also packed full of other nutrients like potassium, folate, and iron, and they are a great source of plant-based protein.”

Lentils are cost-effective and easy to use, especially if you buy them cooked and canned. Use a half cup of lentils as a unique, high-protein salad topping. Or, in a curry or stir fry, swap half your rice for lentils for extra fiber and blood sugar benefits.

Read this: What are Dense Bean Salads and Are They Healthy?

6. Raspberries

“Raspberries are a great addition when it comes to increasing fiber intake and blood sugar regulation,” says Patricia Kolesa, MS, RDN, founder of Dietitian Dish LLC. “One cup of raspberries contains 8 grams of fiber — almost a third of the daily value.”

Kolesa adds that raspberries have a low glycemic index compared to other fruits, which make them less likely to raise blood sugar quickly. Combined with their great fiber content, this makes them a wonderful choice to balance blood sugar and keep energy stable.

Fresh and frozen raspberries are equally nutritious and delicious. Serve them with granola, add them to smoothies, or stuff them with chocolate chips for a fiber-packed sweet treat.

7. Chia seeds

One ounce of chia seeds contains almost 10 grams of fiber. That’s about a third of your daily requirement in just a few tablespoons. In other words, these little seeds pack a major fiber punch!

Chia seeds are especially helpful to balance blood sugar because they’re low in carbohydrates but rich in healthy fats. They also contain protein, so they’re unlikely to raise your blood sugar quickly or significantly.

Add 1-2 tablespoons of chia seeds on top of your yogurt bowls or oatmeal. Chia seeds can also be blended right into smoothies — but add a bit of extra liquid since they’ll thicken things substantially.

Final thoughts

Fiber isn’t just about digestive health — it’s your secret weapon for stable energy and balanced blood sugar. Try adding one (or more!) of these high-fiber foods to your meals to keep your sugars on a steady path.