How Much Fiber Do You Need a Day? Types of Fiber and Best Sources

Recent surveys have shown that most people are not getting enough fiber in their diets. Worse still, most people are ignorant of how much fiber they need, and which foods to eat to get enough fiber.

In the UK and US adults only consume an average of 16 grams of dietary fiber per day, well short of the minimum recommended amount of 26 grams per day for women and 39 grams per day for women.

Generally the food you eat should contain 14 grams of fiber for each 1,000 calories because of the way fiber helps you digest the food.

This article is designed to close the fiber gap by defining daily minimum fiber intakes for people based on age and sex. There is also information on the types of fiber and their benefits. Charts are provided for the foods of various types with the highest natural fiber contents.

Many fresh foods have good levels of natural dietary fiber. Learn how much you need and what foods to eat to get adequate fiber in your diet. Source: Public Domain

How Much Fiber Do Your Need

The U.S. government's 2010 Dietary Guidelines provided the minimum amounts shown in the table below.

Many other governments throughout the world have much higher recommendations.

There is evidence that eating excessive fiber can be harmful, but eating a little more than the recommendations is a good idea.

Recommended Daily Fiber Intake by Age and Sex (USFDA)

Fiber Recommendations by Age and Sex	Daily Fiber Recommendation
Children ages 1-3 years old	19 grams
Children ages 4-8 years old	25 grams
Young boys ages 9-13 years old	31 grams
Young girls ages 9-13 years old	26 grams
Teenage boys ages 14-18 years old	38 grams
Teenage girls ages 14-18 years old	26 grams
Young and adult men ages 14-50 years old	38 grams
Young and adult women ages 14-50 years old	25 grams
Men ages 50 years and older	30 grams
Women ages 50 years and older	21 grams

Types of Fiber - Soluble, Insoluble and Other Types

Broadly speaking, there are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. You need both as each type has a different role.

The types of fiber and their general benefits is shown in the table below.

Types of Fiber, Solubility, Foods and Health Benefits

Types of Fiber	Solubility	Sources	Health Benefits
Cellulose (hemicellulose)	Insoluble	Naturally found in skins of many foods, edible brown rice, seeds, bran, whole grains, whole wheat and nuts	Natural laxative the avoids constipation, lowers risk of diverticulitis, weight loss benefits by speeding passage pf food through the gut.
Inulin oligofructose	Soluble	Onions, beets and chicory root extracts. Added to many processed foods to increase fiber contents.	May promote and sustain beneficial bacteria in the gut and may enhance immunity processes
Lignin	Insoluble	Found naturally in rye, flax, and some vegetables.	Benefits for cardiovascular health and immunity processes.
Mucilage, beta-glucans	Soluble	Naturally found in carrots, apples, oranges, bananas, soybeans, berries, flaxseed, barley, peas, beans, oat bran and oats	Helps lower, so-called bad LDL cholesterol and lowers risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease.
Pectin and gums	Soluble (some pectins can be insoluble)	Naturally found in berries, fruits and seeds, citrus peel. Added to some processed foods to boost fiber.	Slows rate of passage of food through the gut, may help reduce blood cholesterol.
Polydextrose polyols	Soluble	Added to processed foods to add bulk and as a sugar substitute. Artifically made from from sorbitol, dextrose and citric acid.	Helps prevent constipation. Adds bulk to food. May cause bloating or excess gas.
Psyllium	Soluble	Extracted from seeds or husks of plantago ovata plant. Used in high fiber drinks, supplements and many processed foods.	Helps prevent constipation. Adds bulk to food. May cause bloating or excess gas.
Resistant starch	Soluble	Naturally found in cell walls unripened bananas, oatmeal and legumes. Extracted and added to processed foods to increase fiber.	Increasing fullness and may help weight control and dieting
Wheat dextrin	Soluble	Extracted from wheat starch. Used to add fiber in processed foods.	Helps lower LDL and total cholesterol in the bloods and may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease and .

Which Foods Contain the Most Natural Fiber?

The tables at the end of the article list the foods or various types with the highest fiber contents expressed as grams of fiber per 100g serving of the food.

Foods with the highest fiber contents (not ranked) are:

prunes, blackberries, raspberries, bran, cornmeal, bulgur, barley, whole wheat flour, artichokes, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, soybeans, lima beans, peas and beans (all kinds).

Foods with moderate fiber levels (not ranked) are:

apples, mangoes, blueberries, bananas, oranges, strawberries, pears, raisins, nuts, popcorn, whole wheat pasta, cabbage, asparagus, snap beans, corn, potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, okra, broccoli, dark leafy greens and lettuce.

Foods to Avoid:

processed foods from which the natural fiber has been removed: white flour, white bread, white pasta and white rice, vegetables without the skins such as potatoes.

Pros and Cons of Processed Cereals and Foods

While many processed breakfast cereals and snacks 9shown in the table below) have large amounts of added fiber, there are many reasons why they are undesirable in comparisons to natural foods:

The type of fiber may be different from the natural fiber in the grains used
Many cereals and particularly snack foods have high sugar level, well about that in the natural ingredients
Many cereals and particularly snack foods have high levels of fat.
Many contain chocolate and artificial and highly processed ingredient such as dried fruit derivatives.

Homemade high fiber cereals are much better

Recipe for Homemade Breakfast Cereal

Combining raw rolled oats with dried fruit, nuts, and spices creates an ideal high fiber breakfast cereal that avoid the high fat and sugar of the commercial processed breakfast cereal.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup red currants
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup almonds, slivered
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup of wheat germ ( optional: adds to fat and calories, but adds protein)
1/4 cup of wheat bran ( optional: boosts fiber without adding extra calories or fat)

Method

For raw muesli simply combine all the ingredients in a container and add to a serving dish for each breakfast. Add milk (whole or skim milk) and top with low-fat yogurt. Heating for 2 minutes in a microwave warms the milk without cooking the muesli.

The muesli can be cooked in a microwave set on high for 3-4 minutes.

You can also cook the muesli on the stove for 3-6 minutes using moderate heat and stirring occasionally.

Nutrient Analysis per 1-cup serving of dry cereal:

Calories: 460; Total fat: 20 g; Sat fat: 6 g; Trans fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 66 g; Fiber: 14 g; Sugar: 24 g; Protein: 12 g

Note: 1 cup of muesli weighs about 85 g and so 100 g of this muesli contains about 20 g of fiber.

Processed Fiber with Highest Fiber Contents (g/100g)

Type of Food	Serving 100 g	Fiber (g)
processed cereal	Cereals ready-to-eat, UNCLE SAM CEREAL	20.3
processed cereal	Cereals ready-to-eat, KELLOGG, KELLOGG'S CRACKLIN' OAT BRAN	12.7
processed cereal	Cereals ready-to-eat, KASHI GRANOLA, COCOA BEACH Cereal	12.7
processed cereal	Cereals ready-to-eat, KASHI GRANOLA, ORCHARD SPICE CEREAL	11.4
processed cereal	Cereals ready-to-eat, MALT-O-MEAL, TOASTY O'S	10.7
processed cereal	Cereals ready-to-eat, KASHI ORGANIC PROMISE CRANBERRY SUNSHINE	9.9
processed cereal	Cereals ready-to-eat, granola, homemade	9
processed cereal	Cereals ready-to-eat, GENERAL MILLS, OATMEAL CRISP with Almonds	7.5
processed cereal	Cereals ready-to-eat, POST, GREAT GRAINS Crunchy Pecan Cereal	7
processed cereal	Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, 100% Natural Granola Oats and Honey	6.9
processed cereal	Cereals ready-to-eat, GENERAL MILLS, CHEERIOS, Yogurt Burst	6.7
processed cereal	Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, QUAKER 100% Natural Cereal with oats, honey, and raisins	6.5
processed cereal	Cereals ready-to-eat, Cranberry Macadamia Nut Cereal	6
processed cereal	Cereals ready-to-eat, rolled oats, whole wheat, rice, presweetened, maple flavored, with pecans	6
processed cereal	Cereals ready-to-eat, POST, OREO O's Cereal	5.5
processed cereal	Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, SUN COUNTRY Granola with Almonds	5.2
processed cereal	Cereals ready-to-eat, GENERAL MILLS, COCOA PUFFS	5
processed cereal	Cereals ready-to-eat, MALT-O-MEAL, Apple Cinnamon TOASTY O's	5

Fruit, Berries, Vegetables and Dried Fruits with Highest Fiber Contents (g/100g)

Type of Food	Serving 100 g	Fiber (g)
berry	Raspberries, wild (Northern Plains Indians)	7.5
berry	Elderberries, raw	7
berry	Cranberries, wild, bush, raw (Alaska Native)	6.7
berry	loganberries; frozen	5.31
berry	Blackberries, raw	5.3
berry	Boysenberries, frozen, unsweetened	5.3
berry	Cranberries	4.6
berry	Blueberries; wild; frozen	4.43
berry	Gooseberries	4.27
dried fruit	bananas; dehydrated	10
dried fruit	figs; dried	9.76
dried fruit	apple; dried	8.84
dried fruit	peach; dried	8.25
dried fruit	dates	7.89
dried fruit	pear; dried	7.56
dried fruit	apricot; dried	7.38
dried fruit	prune	7.16
dried fruit	raisins; seeded	6.9
dried fruit	currants; zante	6.67
dried fruit	raisins; golden; seedless	3.86
fruit	persimmon; Japanese; dried	14.71
fruit	Passion-fruit, (granadilla), purple, raw	10.4
fruit	elderberries	7.03
fruit	avocado	6.67
fruit	Kumquats, raw	6.5
fruit	feijoa	6.43
fruit	Plums, wild (Northern Plains Indians)	6
fruit	nectarine	5.71
fruit	guava	5.45
fruit	mamey sapote	5.37
fruit	Sapodilla, raw	5.3
fruit	sapodilla	5.29
fruit	sugar-apple	4.39
fruit	pomegranate	3.97
fruit	grapes; muscadine	3.89
fruit	tangerine; mandarin	3.81
fruit	durian	3.79
fruit	pear; Asian	3.6
fruit	persimmon; Japanese	3.57
fruit	soursop	3.33
fruit	pear	3.09
fruit	kiwifruit; green	3.04
herb	Peppermint, fresh	8
herb	Spearmint, fresh	6.8
vegetable	tomatoes (sundried)	12.59
vegetable	Grape leaves, raw	11
vegetable	fireweed, leaves (raw)	10.43
vegetable	Artichokes, (globe or french), cooked, boiled, drained, with salt	8.6
vegetable	artichoke (cooked)	8.58
vegetable	wasabi, root (raw)	7.85
vegetable	tomatoes (sundried, packed in oil)	5.82
vegetable	Peas, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	5.5
vegetable	Artichokes, (globe or french), raw	5.4
vegetable	artichoke (raw)	5.39
vegetable	taro (cooked)	5.15
vegetable	Peas, green, raw	5.1
vegetable	Cowpeas (blackeyes), immature seeds, raw	5
vegetable	lotus root (raw)	4.94
vegetable	parsnips (raw)	4.81
vegetable	squash, winter, acorn (baked)	4.39
vegetable	horseradish-tree, pods (cooked)	4.24
vegetable	chicory greens (raw)	4.14
vegetable	taro (raw)	4.04
vegetable	lambsquarters (raw)	4
vegetable	yam (cooked)	3.97
vegetable	Brussels sprouts (raw)	3.75
vegetable	beet greens (raw)	3.68
vegetable	collards (raw)	3.61
vegetable	parsnips (cooked)	3.59
vegetable	taro leaves (raw)	3.57
vegetable	kohlrabi (raw)	3.56
vegetable	turnip greens (cooked)	3.47
vegetable	dandelion greens (raw)	3.45
vegetable	eggplant (raw)	3.41
vegetable	broccoli (cooked)	3.33
vegetable	sweet potato (baked, with skin)	3.33
vegetable	squash, winter, butternut (baked)	3.22
vegetable	burdock root (raw)	3.22
vegetable	mustard greens (raw)	3.21
vegetable	chrysanthemum, garland (raw)	3.2
vegetable	endive (raw)	3.2
vegetable	okra (raw)	3.2
vegetable	lotus root (cooked)	3.17
vegetable	cabbage, savoy (raw)	3.14
vegetable	olives; ripe; canned	3.13
vegetable	water chestnuts, chinese (raw)	3.06
vegetable	sweet potato (raw)	3
vegetable	fennel, bulb (raw)	2.99
vegetable	saiuerkraut (canned)	2.96
vegetable	carrots (cooked)	2.95
vegetable	beet greens (cooked)	2.92
vegetable	carrots, baby (raw)	2.88
vegetable	dandelion greens (cooked)	2.86
vegetable	dock (raw)	2.86
vegetable	collards (cooked)	2.84
vegetable	broccoli raab (cooked)	2.8
vegetable	onions, spring or scallions (raw)	2.8
vegetable	beets (raw)	2.79

Grains, Nuts, Breads and Seeds with Highest Fiber Contents (g/100g)

Type of Food	Serving 100 g	Fiber (g)
baked goods	Taco shells, baked, without added salt	7.5
bean	Soybeans, mature seeds, raw	9.3
bean	Beans, black turtle soup, mature seeds, canned	6.9
bean	Beans, cranberry (roman), mature seeds, canned	6.3
bean	Beans, kidney, red, mature seeds, canned	5.4
bean	Beans, kidney, all types, mature seeds, canned	5.3
bean	Refried beans, canned, traditional style (includes USDA commodity)	5.1
bread	Organic Sprouted 100% Whole Grain Bread	8.82
bread	Wonder Whole Grain Wheat Bread	7.02
bread	Bread, cornbread, dry mix, enriched (includes corn muffin mix)	6.5
bread	Wonder Stoneground 100% Whole Wheat	5.88
bread	Whole Grain Loaf	5.26
bread	Rye Loaf	3.51
bread	Honey Wheat Loaf	3.51
bread	White Whole Grain	3.51
bread	Wonder Whole Grain Honey Wheat Bread	3.51
bread	Sesame Semolina Loaf	1.75
bread	Ciabatta	1.75
bread	3 Cheese Loaf	1.75
bread	Sourdough Round Loaf	1.75
bread	Tomato Basil Loaf	1.75
cracker	Crackers, whole-wheat, reduced fat	10.9
cracker	Crackers, whole-wheat, low salt	10.5
cracker	Crackers, whole-wheat	10.3
grain	bulgur wheat	18.125
grain	barley	17.5
grain	rye	15
grain	oat bran	15
grain	triticale	14.375
grain	wheat	12.5
grain	oats	10.625
grain	spelt wheat	10.625
grain	buckwheat	10
grain	rolled oats	10
grain	millet	8.75
grain	corn	7.5
grain	amaranth	6.875
grain	quinoa	6.875
grain	sorghum	6.25
grain	wild rice	6.25
grain	brown rice	3.75
nut	Nuts, almonds	12.2
nut	Nuts, pistachio nuts, raw	10.3
nut	Nuts, hazelnuts or filberts	9.7
nut	Nuts, pecans	9.6
nut	Peanuts, all types, oil-roasted, with salt	9.4
nut	Nuts, mixed nuts, dry roasted, with peanuts, without salt added	9
nut	Nuts, macadamia nuts, raw	8.6
nut	Peanuts, all types, raw	8.5
nut	Peanuts, all types, dry-roasted, with salt	8
nut	Peanut butter, chunk style, with salt	8
nut	Nuts, brazilnuts, dried, unblanched	7.5
nut	Nuts, walnuts, english	6.7
seed	Seeds, chia seeds, dried	37.7
seed	Seeds, flaxseed	27.3
seed	Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, dried	11.8
seed	Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, dried	8.6
seed	Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, dried	6
snack	Snacks, popcorn, oil-popped, microwave, regular flavor	8.1
snack	Snacks, NUTRI-GRAIN FRUIT AND NUT BAR	7.5
snack	Snacks, granola bars, hard, plain	5.3
spread	Peanut butter, smooth style, with salt	6

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