Fiber in Cocoa Powder? & other fiber sources

blues4miles

I've been adding 1 tbs of cocoa powder to my protein drink since I find the chocolate protein powder a little sweet and like to use the bitterness of the cocoa powder to tone it down a bit. I noticed the other day my cocoa powder says it has 2g of fiber in it (for 10 calories / 1 tbs). That seems like a really good fiber to calorie ratio. But is the fiber in cocoa powder really "the same" or "as good as" other fiber sources?

What other sources of fiber do people use? I feel like it's one of the things I struggle most with is to get my fiber in. I'd been having some of the high fiber English muffins and while that helped, and was a good calorie-to-fiber ratio, I do get tired of eating an English muffin every night.

I thought about maybe blending up some oats and adding to a protein shake (because it also sounded delicious) but noticed oats only have ~4g of fiber for 150 calories. I'd be better off adding a bunch of cocoa powder to everything. Spinach seems pretty good, 7.5g per 79 calories or so.

So to sum up my questions,
1) Are different sources of fiber any 'better' than others? (i.e., spinach vs cocoa powder)
2) What do you consume to help you up your fiber count without too many added calories?

successgal1

Fiber is either soluble or insoluble, "better" is up to what you're expecting. I suggest looking up the two.

Now Cocoa:

"Health benefits of cocoa consumption
Chocolate

In general, cocoa is considered to be a rich source of antioxidants such as procyanidins and flavanoids, which may impart antiaging properties.[2][30] Cocoa also contain a high level of flavonoids, specifically epicatechin, which may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health.[31][32][33]

The stimulant activity of cocoa comes from the compound theobromine which is less diuretic as compared to theophylline found in tea.[2] Prolonged intake of flavanol-rich cocoa has been linked to cardiovascular health benefits,[31][32][34] though this refers to raw cocoa and to a lesser extent, dark chocolate, since flavonoids degrade during cooking and alkalizing processes.[35] Short-term benefits in LDL cholesterol levels from dark chocolate consumption have been found.[36] The addition of whole milk to milk chocolate reduces the overall cocoa content per ounce while increasing saturated fat levels.[citation needed] Although one study[37] has concluded that milk impairs the absorption of polyphenolic flavonoids, e.g. epicatechin, a followup[38] failed to find the effect.

Hollenberg and colleagues of Harvard Medical School studied the effects of cocoa and flavanols on Panama's Kuna people, who are heavy consumers of cocoa. The researchers found that the Kuna people living on the islands had significantly lower rates of heart disease and cancer compared to those on the mainland who do not drink cocoa as on the islands. It is believed that the improved blood flow after consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa may help to achieve health benefits in hearts and other organs. In particular, the benefits may extend to the brain and have important implications for learning and memory.[39][40][41][42]

Foods rich in cocoa appear to reduce blood pressure but drinking green and black tea may not, according to an analysis of previously published research in the April 9, 2007 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine[31][43]

A 15-year study of elderly men[44] published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2006 found a 50 percent reduction in cardiovascular mortality and a 47 percent reduction in all-cause mortality for the men regularly consuming the most cocoa, compared to those consuming the least cocoa from all sources."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocoa_bean

And lastly, I sometimes have orange flavored metamucil as a supplement, as needed.

I more often put cocoa powder in my coffee.

lexabeep

Black berries,apples, kale, collard greens, swiss chard all have high fiber for lower calories. Beans are great to but have a higher calorie count. There is soluble fiber and insoluble. I'm not an expert but I know we all need both kinds to keep things moving. I noticed for me it is much easier to get the fiber if I'm eating more vegetables. I have some eggs over a high fiber food a lot (spinach, kale, cabbage, shredded brussels sprouts, speghitti squash, sweet potato). I try and get at least 7-10 grams at breakfast. I love oat meal with black berries. High fiber crackers. Wasa makes one that is 2grams of fiber 35 calories per serving. And they are hearty and go well with peanut butter. I spend a lot of time reading labels of any thing else I buy. I hope this gives you some ideas and good luck!