Are Fresh Tomatoes High in Fiber? A Complete Nutritional Breakdown

November 12, 2025 •

4 min read

A medium-sized fresh tomato contains about 1.5 grams of dietary fiber. While not a high-fiber powerhouse like beans, this article will answer the question, are fresh tomatoes high in fiber, and explain how they contribute to a healthy, balanced diet.

Quick Summary

Tomatoes offer a moderate amount of dietary fiber, primarily the insoluble type found in their skin and seeds. This fiber is beneficial for promoting regular bowel movements and gut health, complementing other nutrients in this versatile fruit.

Key Points

Moderate Source: Fresh tomatoes provide fiber, but are not considered a high-fiber food compared to legumes or seeds.
Insoluble Dominance: The majority of fiber in a tomato is insoluble, found primarily in the skin and seeds.
Digestive Benefits: The fiber promotes regularity, adds bulk to stool, and supports a healthy digestive system.
Maximized Intake: To get the most fiber, consume the tomato with its skin and seeds rather than peeling it.
Low-Calorie Contribution: Despite a modest fiber count per tomato, its high water content and low calories make it an efficient way to boost nutrient and fiber intake.
Part of a Balanced Diet: For a truly high-fiber diet, combine tomatoes with other rich sources like beans, whole grains, and leafy greens.

What is a Healthy Fiber Intake?

To understand if fresh tomatoes are high in fiber, it is helpful to first know the daily recommended fiber intake. Most health experts recommend a daily intake of 25 to 35 grams of fiber for adults. However, many people only consume about half of this amount. A diet rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber is essential for good digestive health, regulating blood sugar levels, and managing weight. When evaluating any food, it's important to consider its fiber content within this broader context.

The Fiber Content of a Fresh Tomato

A single medium-sized fresh tomato, approximately 123 grams, provides about 1.5 grams of dietary fiber. To put this into perspective, you would need to eat 17-23 tomatoes to meet the low end of the daily recommended intake. This shows that while tomatoes are a source of fiber, they are not the most significant. However, for a food that is about 95% water and very low in calories, this contribution is still valuable. Cherry tomatoes, which are more concentrated, offer approximately 1.8 grams of fiber per cup.

Breaking Down the Fiber in Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain two types of dietary fiber: soluble and insoluble. These two types function differently within the body to promote health.

Insoluble Fiber: This type of fiber does not dissolve in water. It adds bulk to stool and helps food pass more quickly through your digestive system, promoting regularity and preventing constipation. Roughly 87% of the fiber in tomatoes is insoluble, in the form of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin. This is primarily concentrated in the skin and seeds of the tomato.
Soluble Fiber: This fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like substance in the digestive tract. It can help lower blood cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar levels. While present, the amount of soluble fiber in a tomato is much lower than the insoluble type.

How Tomatoes Compare to Other Fiber Sources

To better illustrate the fiber contribution of tomatoes, let's compare them to some common high-fiber foods. This table provides a side-by-side view of the fiber content per typical serving.


Food	Fiber (per serving)	Primary Fiber Type
Medium Tomato	~1.5 grams	Insoluble
1/2 cup Black Beans	7.5 grams	Soluble and Insoluble
1 medium Sweet Potato	4.0 grams	Soluble and Insoluble
1 cup Raspberries	8.0 grams	Soluble and Insoluble
1 medium Avocado	~10 grams	Soluble and Insoluble

This comparison shows that while tomatoes offer a decent fiber contribution, they cannot be relied upon as the sole source of daily fiber. Instead, they work best as part of a varied diet that includes other, more potent fiber-rich foods.

Incorporating Tomatoes for a Fiber Boost

While a single tomato won't drastically increase your fiber intake, regularly adding them to meals can provide a consistent and flavorful boost. Here are some simple ways to incorporate more tomato fiber into your diet:

Eat the Skin: The skin and seeds contain the majority of the tomato's fiber, so avoid peeling them for salads and sandwiches.
Choose Cherry Tomatoes: Toss a cup of cherry tomatoes into salads, pasta dishes, or grain bowls for an easy 1.8-gram fiber boost.
Make Your Own Sauce: Use canned whole tomatoes (skin on) or fresh tomatoes to create a rich sauce for pasta. A cup of canned tomatoes offers about 2.4 grams of fiber.
Add to Soups and Stews: Diced tomatoes add both flavor and fiber to hearty soups, stews, and chili.
Enjoy Salsa: Fresh salsa, made with chopped tomatoes, onions, and jalapeños, is a simple way to add raw tomato fiber to your diet.

The Broader Health Benefits of Tomato Fiber

Beyond digestion, the fiber found in fresh tomatoes plays a role in several other aspects of health. Regular consumption of fiber, including the types found in tomatoes, is associated with a lower risk of various health conditions.

Heart Health: Soluble fiber can help lower "bad" LDL cholesterol levels and reduce blood pressure,.
Blood Sugar Control: For people with diabetes, fiber, particularly soluble fiber, can slow the absorption of sugar, helping to manage blood sugar levels,.
Satiety and Weight Management: Fiber adds bulk to food, helping you feel fuller for longer. This can help with appetite control and weight management,.
Gut Health: Fiber acts as a prebiotic, feeding the beneficial bacteria in your gut. A healthy gut microbiome is linked to better overall health and immunity,.

Conclusion: More Than Just Fiber

While fresh tomatoes are not a high-fiber food compared to other options, they are a valuable source of this essential nutrient, particularly the insoluble type concentrated in the skin and seeds. Their low-calorie, high-water content, and presence of crucial vitamins and antioxidants like lycopene make them an excellent addition to any diet. By regularly incorporating whole tomatoes, including their skin, into your meals, you can enjoy a consistent and delicious contribution to your daily fiber intake and overall health. For further information on dietary fiber, consider visiting the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health's Nutrition Source.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, tomatoes are a good, though not exceptional, source of fiber. A medium tomato contains about 1.5 grams, with the most concentrated fiber found in the skin and seeds,.

Tomatoes contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. However, approximately 87% of the fiber content is insoluble, consisting of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin.

A medium-sized fresh tomato (about 123 grams) contains roughly 1.5 grams of dietary fiber.

Yes, cooked tomatoes still provide fiber. The canning and cooking process does not eliminate the fiber. In some cases, canned tomatoes can contain a slightly higher concentration of fiber per cup.

Yes, you lose a significant portion of the fiber if you peel the tomato. The majority of the insoluble fiber is located in the skin, so it's best to consume the skin to maximize the fiber intake.

While tomatoes contribute fiber, other vegetables can offer more. For example, a medium sweet potato has around 4 grams of fiber, and a half-cup of black beans contains 7.5 grams. A balanced diet should include a variety of these foods.

For most people, eating a moderate amount of tomatoes is perfectly fine. However, a sudden, large increase in fiber intake from any source, including tomatoes, can cause gas, bloating, or cramping as your digestive system adjusts.

No, cooking tomatoes actually increases the bioavailability of lycopene, the powerful antioxidant responsible for their red color. Cooking with a bit of olive oil can further enhance absorption.