Your doctor may recommend that you eat more foods that are high in fiber. Eating foods that are high in fiber can make stools softer and easier to pass and can help treat and prevent hemorrhoids. Drinking water and other liquids, such as fruit juices and clear soups, can help the fiber in your diet work better. Ask your doctor about how much you should drink each day based on your health and activity level and where you live.
The amount of fiber in a food is listed on the food's nutrition facts label. Some fiber-rich foods are listed in the tables below.
Grains
Food and Portion Size | Amount of Fiber |
---|---|
⅓‒¾ cup high-fiber bran, ready-to-eat cereal | 9.1–14.3 grams |
1‒1¼ cups of shredded wheat, ready-to-eat cereal | 5.0–9.0 grams |
1½ cups whole-wheat spaghetti, cooked | 3.2 grams |
1 small oat bran muffin | 3.0 grams |
Fruits
Food and Portion Size | Amount of Fiber |
---|---|
1 medium pear, with skin | 5.5 grams |
1 medium apple, with skin | 4.4 grams |
½ cup of raspberries | 4.0 grams |
½ cup of stewed prunes | 3.8 grams |
Vegetables
Food and Portion Size | Amount of Fiber |
---|---|
½ cup of green peas, cooked | 3.5–4.4 grams |
½ cup of mixed vegetables, cooked from frozen | 4.0 grams |
½ cup of collards, cooked | 3.8 grams |
1 medium sweet potato, baked in skin | 3.8 grams |
1 medium potato, baked, with skin | 3.6 grams |
½ cup of winter squash, cooked | 2.9 grams |
Beans
Food and Portion Size | Amount of Fiber |
---|---|
½ cup navy beans, cooked | 9.6 grams |
½ cup pinto beans, cooked | 7.7 grams |
½ cup kidney beans, cooked | 5.7 grams |
A doctor or dietitian can help you learn how to add more high-fiber foods to your diet.
If your hemorrhoids are caused by chronic constipation, try not to eat too many foods with little or no fiber, such as