The most fibre-rich foods on a dry fruit shelf are seeds, not fruits: chia carries about 34 g of fibre per 100 g and alsi about 27 g. Among the dried fruits, anjeer leads at about 9.8 g, with dates and khubani close behind.
The ranking, per 100 g
Sorted from most fibre to least, using the approximate per 100 g figures we use on every product page. Calories and carbohydrate sit beside them, because a fibre choice is usually a calorie choice as well.
Approximate values per 100 g
| Item | Hindi name | Fibre | Calories (kcal) | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chia seeds | Chia | 34 g | 486 | 42 g |
| Flax seeds | Alsi | 27 g | 534 | 29 g |
| Sweet basil seeds | Sabja | 22 g | 442 | 43 g |
| Fox nuts | Makhana | 14.5 g | 347 | 77 g |
| Almonds | Badam | 12.5 g | 579 | 22 g |
| Pistachios | Pista | 10.6 g | 560 | 27 g |
| Dried figs | Anjeer | 9.8 g | 249 | 64 g |
| Dates | Khajur | 8 g | 282 | 75 g |
| Dried apricots | Khubani | 7.3 g | 241 | 63 g |
| Walnuts | Akhrot | 6.7 g | 654 | 14 g |
| Raisins | Kishmish | 3.7 g | 299 | 79 g |
| Cashews | Kaju | 3.3 g | 553 | 30 g |
The surprise for most people is makhana at about 14.5 g, and badam at about 12.5 g, both ahead of anjeer. The other surprise runs the opposite way: kaju and kishmish, the two most common dry fruits in an Indian home, sit at the bottom.
What a real portion gives
Nobody eats 100 g of chia. Here is the same list at the amounts people actually eat:
- 1 tablespoon of chia, about 10 g: 3.4 g fibre, 49 kcal
- 1 tablespoon of ground alsi, about 10 g: 2.7 g fibre, 53 kcal
- 30 g of anjeer, about two large figs: 2.9 g fibre, 75 kcal
- 30 g of khajur: 2.4 g fibre, 85 kcal
- 30 g of badam: 3.8 g fibre, 174 kcal
- 30 g of makhana, a big bowl once roasted: 4.4 g fibre, 104 kcal
A spoon of seeds and two figs together give more fibre than a whole handful of kaju and kishmish, at a fraction of the calories.
Seeds need water, and so do you
Chia and sabja soak up many times their weight in water and turn into a soft gel. Always soak them first, for 15 to 20 minutes, in water, milk, curd or nimbu pani; a dry spoonful swallowed in a hurry is unpleasant and sticks in the throat. Alsi works best ground, stirred into atta or raita. Whichever you pick, start with a teaspoon, build up over a week or two, and drink more water through the day. A sudden jump in fibre is the usual reason people say seeds did not suit them.
Dried fruit or seeds: which to pick
| If you want | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre with the least sugar | Chia, alsi, sabja | Almost no sugar, eaten by the spoon |
| Something sweet after a meal | Anjeer, khubani | Fibre plus natural sweetness |
| A crunchy evening snack | Makhana | Light, very low in fat, filling bowl |
| Fibre and protein together | Badam, pista | Both carry 10 g or more of fibre per 100 g |
A fibre jar for the week
Keep one jar on the counter with 14 anjeer or khubani, two a day, and a second small jar of seeds with a spoon in it. For a month that comes to 500 g of anjeer or apricots, 250 g of chia or alsi, and a 250 g pack of makhana for evenings. Soft kalmi dates are the sweet option if anjeer is not to your taste. All the seeds are on the seeds shelf. For iron alongside fibre, see dry fruits rich in iron; for lighter snacks, low-calorie dry fruits.
Questions people ask
Which dry fruit has the highest fibre?
Among dried fruits, anjeer, at about 9.8 g per 100 g. Counting seeds, chia leads the whole shelf at about 34 g per 100 g, followed by alsi and sabja.
Is fibre the same as fiber?
Yes, fibre is the British and Indian spelling and fiber the American one. High fibre dry fruits and high fiber dry fruits mean the same list.
Are high fibre dry fruits good for constipation?
Fibre and enough water are part of regular digestion, and soaked anjeer and khubani are traditional choices in many homes. If constipation is frequent or new, see a doctor rather than relying on food alone.
Should anjeer be soaked?
It does not have to be, but soaking two figs overnight makes them soft and easy to eat first thing in the morning. Many people eat the figs and drink the water.
