Interactive Nutrition Facts Label • October 2021
Dietary Fiber 1
Dietary Fiber
What It Is
Dietary ber is a type of carbohydrate made up of many sugar
molecules linked together. But unlike other carbohydrates,
dietary ber is bound together in such a way that it cannot
be easily digested in the small intestine.
There are two types of dietary ber:
• Soluble dietary ber dissolves in water to form a thick gel-like
substance in the stomach. It is broken down by bacteria in the
large intestine and provides some calories.
• Insoluble dietary ber does not dissolve in water and
may pass through the gastrointestinal tract relatively intact
and, therefore, is not a source of calories.
Where It Is Found
Naturally occurring dietary ber is found in a variety of foods,
including:
• Beans, peas, and lentils
• Fruits
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Vegetables
What It Does
• Soluble dietary ber can interfere with the absorption of dietary
fat and cholesterol. This, in turn, can help lower low-density
lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol levels in the blood. Soluble
ber can also slow digestion and the rate at which carbohydrates
and other nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. This can
help control the level of blood glucose (often referred to as blood
sugar) by preventing rapid rises in blood glucose following a
meal.
• Insoluble dietary ber can speed up the movement of food
and waste through the digestive system.
• Both soluble and insoluble dietary ber can make you feel
full, which may lower your calorie intake by helping you eat less
and yet stay satised longer.
Diets higher in dietary ber can increase the frequency of
bowel movements and can reduce the risk of developing
cardiovascular disease.
• Wheat bran
• Whole grains (such as whole oats,
brown rice, popcorn, and quinoa)
and foods made with whole grain
ingredients (such as some breads,
cereals, crackers, and pasta).
Dietary ber is a
nutrient to get more of.
www.fda.gov/nutritioneducation
Interactive Nutrition Facts Label • October 2021
Dietary Fiber 2
• Most Americans do not get the recommended amount of dietary ber. Dietary ber is considered
a “dietary component of public health concern” because low intakes are associated with potential
health risks.
• Diets higher in dietary ber can increase the frequency of bowel movements and can reduce
the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
• The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend consuming a variety of foods that are good
sources of dietary ber, especially vegetables, fruits, beans, and grains. The guidelines also
recommend consuming at least half of grains as whole grains and limiting the intake of rened
grains and products made with rened grains.
• Dietary Fiber Fiber on the Nutrition Facts label includes naturally occurring bers in plants and certain
isolated or synthetic non-digestible carbohydrates added to food that the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration has determined have benecial physiological effects to human health. These isolated
or synthetic non-digestible carbohydrates include: acacia (gum arabic), alginate, arabinoxylan,
beta-glucan soluble ber, cellulose, cross linked phosphorylated RS4, galactooligosaccharide,
glucomannan, guar gum, high amylose starch (resistant starch 2), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, inulin
and inulin-type fructans, locust bean gum, mixed plant cell wall bers (a broad category that includes
bers like sugar cane ber and apple ber, among many others), pectin, polydextrose, psyllium husk,
and resistant maltodextrin/dextrin.
Health Facts
Grains are the seeds from certain cereal crops grown for food. Examples of grains include barley,
cornmeal, millet, oats, rice, and wheat. There are several types of grains:
• Whole grains include the entire grain seed (usually called the “kernel”), which consists of the bran,
germ, and endosperm—nothing has been added or taken away by processing. Whole grains contain
dietary ber and other carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, and benecial fats. Whole grains are
consumed either as a single food (such as brown rice, oatmeal, and popcorn) or as an ingredient in
food (such as in breads, cereals, crackers, and pasta).
• Rened grains have been processed (also called milled) to remove the bran and germ from the grain.
This is done to give the grains a ner texture, lighter color, and longer shelf life. But, processing also
removes dietary ber, iron, B vitamins, and other nutrients.
• Enriched grains have the key nutrients that were lost during processing restored. Typically, this
includes iron and B vitamins (thiamin, riboavin, and niacin). Most rened grain products in the United
States are enriched, and often there will be a statement on the food package indicating that the
product is “enriched.” Examples of enriched grain products include enriched white rice and enriched
white bread.
Many grain-based foods are also fortied with additional vitamins and minerals. These are considered
“nutrients to get more of” because they are generally lacking in the American diet. For example, many
ready-to-eat cereals and snack bars are fortied with calcium.
The Scoop on Grains
Interactive Nutrition Facts Label • October 2021
Dietary Fiber 3
o Compare and choose foods to get
100% DV of dietary ber on most days.
And remember:
• 5% DV or less of dietary ber per serving
is considered low
• 20% DV or more of dietary ber per
serving is considered high
o Look for whole grains on the ingredient
list on a food package. Some examples of
whole grain ingredients are barley, brown
rice, buckwheat, bulgur, millet, oatmeal,
quinoa, rolled oats, whole grain corn, whole
grain sorghum, whole oats, whole rye, and
whole wheat.
Tip: Ingredients are listed in descending
order by weight—the closer an
ingredient is to the beginning of the
list, the more of that ingredient is in
the food.
o Try whole grains (such as brown rice, bulgur,
couscous, and quinoa) as side dishes and
switch from rened to whole grain versions
of commonly consumed foods (such as
breads, cereals, pasta, and rice).
The Daily Value for dietary ber is 28 g per day. This is based on a 2,000 calorie daily
diet—your Daily Value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
o Limit rened grains and products made
with rened grains (such as cakes, cookies,
chips, and crackers), which can be high in
added sugars, saturated fat, and/or
sodium and are common sources of
excess calories.
o Start your day with a bowl of whole grain
breakfast cereal (such as bran or oatmeal)
that is high in dietary ber and low in
added sugars. Top your cereal with fruit
for sweetness and even more ber!
o Choose whole fruit (fresh, frozen, dried,
and canned in 100% fruit juice) as snacks
and desserts and add fruits to salads and
side dishes.
o Keep raw, cut-up vegetables handy for
quick snacks. Choose colorful dark green,
orange, and red vegetables, such as
broccoli orets, carrots, and red peppers.
o Add beans, peas, and lentils to salads,
soups, and side dishes—or serve them
as a main dish.
o Try plant sources of protein (such as beans,
peas, lentils, and unsalted nuts and seeds)
in place of some meats and poultry.
Use the Nutrition Facts label as a tool for increasing consumption of dietary ber. The Nutrition
Facts label on food and beverage packages shows the amount in grams (g) and the % Daily Value
(%DV) of dietary ber per serving of the food.
Food manufacturers may voluntarily list the amount in grams (g) per serving of soluble dietary ber
and insoluble dietary ber on the Nutrition Facts label (under Dietary Fiber), but they are required to
list soluble dietary ber and/or insoluble dietary ber if a statement is made on the package labeling
about their health effects or the amount (for example, “high” or “low”) contained in the food.
Action Steps
For Increasing Dietary Fiber in Your Diet
