Less processed grains and whole grains contain more fiber.

A high-fiber diet is very beneficial for diabetics. It helps slow digestion, keeps you feeling full for longer, and even helps your blood sugar levels remain stable. Obviously, everyone should be getting more of this essential nutrient, but it is hard to find in our Western diets despite eating a lot of grain.

Why is this? Well, whole grains normally contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, but the processing method used to prepare wheat flour can remove a large portion of each. There are still grains on the market that aren’t as processed. Consider changing up how you eat just a little bit by choosing these four grains that are high in fiber. 

#1 Bulgur Wheat

2.9 grams of fiber per 16 grams

A grain that only takes about 10 minutes to cook, bulgur wheat makes a great addition to the dinner table. It is related to a type of wheat also sold as white flour. However, bulgur wheat berries have been partially cooked, dried, and broken up into pieces about the size of a whole sesame seed. Since it is just the whole grain broken into pieces, it still contains all of the beneficial nutrients, including a lot of fiber.

#2 Barley

2.8 grams of fiber per 16 grams

One of the oldest cultivated grains, we often see barley floating around in a hearty beef soup these days. It is also one of the grains with the highest amount of fiber at about 2.8 grams per 16 grams total. However, the amount of fiber can differ by variety. There is even a type called, Prowashonupana barley, that is about 30% fiber.

#3 Rye

2.4 grams of fiber per 16 grams

Are you craving a classic Reuben? Well, the rye bread used for this sandwich may add some extra fiber to your diet. Rye is a unique grain that contains fiber in both its bran and endosperm, which gives rye a lower glycemic index.

#4 Triticale Wheat

2.3 grams of fiber per 16 grams

A hybrid grain made from rye and wheat, triticale is a little over 100 years old. This grain hybridized from its progenitors in nature, but it took modern science to make triticale fertile enough to be used in agriculture. Triticale is a hearty type of wheat, more resistant to adverse conditions and requires fewer pesticides.