The #1 High-Fiber Snack to Buy at Target for Weight Loss, According to a Dietitian

Target is a fun place to shop. You can hit up their Dollar Spot or browse the cute clothes, soft blankets, beautiful home decor—and find your new favorite snack, all in one trip.

If your goal is to lose weight, increasing your fiber intake is a smart move. Fiber has a long list of health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers, but chances are you aren’t getting enough, according to the USDA’s Economic Research Service. Americans eat about 16 grams of fiber per day on average, much less than the recommended 28 grams for a 2,000-calorie diet.

Fiber comes from plant foods; the two main types are soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber slows down digestion, and insoluble fiber bulks up your stool and reduces constipation. Both types are found in fruits, veggies, nuts and grains, and both have health benefits.

Along with disease prevention, dietary fiber promotes weight loss. Fiber swells up in the stomach, which increases satiety, explains Kelli Davenport, M.S., RD, a registered dietitian with Top Nutrition Coaching. Given that fiber will also cause “food to move more slowly out of the stomach, you’ll feel fuller for longer. In addition, soluble fiber has been shown to help decrease appetite,” she adds. (A 2019 systematic review and meta-analysis in Foods backs up these hunger-regulating benefits of soluble fiber.)

What’s more, fiber-packed foods—whole grains, fruits, legumes and nonstarchy vegetables—tend to be lower-calorie options. Filling your diet with these types of foods can also support weight loss, adds Natalie Carroll, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist who is also with Top Nutrition Coaching.

So what is the best weight-loss snack to get at Target if you’re ready to focus on fiber? Read on to find out which one our dietitians picked.

How to Pick a Healthy High-Fiber Snack for Weight Loss

Look for at Least 3 Grams of Fiber

A high-fiber snack should contain at least 3 grams of fiber per serving. The best high-fiber snack would consist of whole foods, such as nuts, fruit, edamame, veggies or air-popped popcorn, says Davenport. Packaged snacks may be an option, too, but look for minimal ingredients, says Carroll. Foods like baked green pea snacks, whole-grain crackers, hummus and bean dips are all great options.

Minimize Added Sugar

Too much added sugar can cause blood sugar spikes and dips—a roller coaster your body doesn’t want to be on. You might feel jittery or restless when experiencing a blood sugar spike, says Davenport. But if you have diabetes, this spike can cause blurred vision, fatigue, dry mouth, increased thirst or headache, she says. A resulting crash doesn’t feel much better, either, potentially producing shakiness, sweating, fatigue, irritability, dizziness and reduced concentration. “Be wary of added sugars,” Davenport says.

Pack in Protein

Fiber promotes satiety—and so does protein. Consuming a high-protein diet along with regular exercise was found to decrease body and visceral fat and improve blood lipids, insulin sensitivity and inflammation compared to a control group, according to a 2021 study in the journal Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine on middle-aged adults with obesity. When picking a snack, think fiber and protein.

The #1 Best High-Fiber Snack at Target

Target has a lot of healthy snack options, but when it comes to a high-fiber weight-loss snack, there’s one that wows our dietitians. Carroll recommends Seapoint Farms Dry Roasted Edamame Sea Salt. “This delicious and crunchy snack is packed with 8 grams of fiber per ⅓ cup and also provides plant-based protein,” she says. Edamame also provides appetite-regulating soluble fiber.

What’s more, the ingredients list is simple: soybeans and salt. And it pairs well with a variety of other foods. “I love how versatile this snack is,” Carroll says, suggesting eating this edamame on its own, mixed into a homemade trail mix with nuts and dried fruit or added to air-popped popcorn.

Along with being high in weight-loss-friendly fiber, dry-roasted edamame also comes with additional health benefits.

May Help Decrease Abdominal Fat

There’s just something about soy: A 2019 review published in the journal Nutrients looked at over 22 studies. Researchers found that women who ate soy products regularly had lower body weights, BMI, waist circumference and body fat percentages. Soy’s fiber, protein and compounds called isoflavones may help promote a healthy weight.

May Help Lower Your Risk of Breast Cancer

Soy contains phytoestrogens, which have a similar chemical structure to estrogen, the female sex hormone. That may be why a 2022 review published in the journal In Vivo found that pre- and post-menopausal women who ate more soy products had lower rates of breast cancer. Study authors said that soy can imitate estrogen in the body, which can reduce the risk of breast cancer.

May Help Improve Cognitive Function

Stay sharp with soy: A 2020 review published in Nutrition Reviews looked at the results of 16 randomized controlled trials that tested the effects of soy isoflavones on brainpower. The authors found that participants who ate more soy products had better memory and cognitive function as they got older.

The Bottom Line

If your goal is to lose weight, you have a lot of great high-fiber snack options. But the one that comes out on top is Seapoint Farms Dry Roasted Edamame, available at Target. With protein and fiber, dry-roasted edamame is a pleasingly crunchy snack that offers protein and fiber to keep you full and satisfied until your next meal.