Fiber

Dietary fiber includes a variety of plant-derived compounds (complex carbohydrates and lignin) that are neither digested nor absorbed in the small intestine.

Benefits: Adequate fiber intake prevents constipation, diverticular disease of the colon, and hemorrhoids. Consumption of diets high in fiber may prevent a variety of conditions including obesity, diabetes, gallstones, coronary artery disease, or colon cancer.

Dietary recommendations: Healthy adults should eat between 20 and 35 grams of fiber per day. American women and men are estimated to typically eat half that amount.

Food sources: Foods that are rich in dietary fiber include whole grains (particularly the bran portions), legumes, and some fruits and vegetables. Most foods contain mixtures of both insoluble and soluble fiber. Examples of foods rich in insoluble fiber are wheat bran, nuts and barley; soluble fiber is found in oat bran, melons, and dried fruits. Beans are good sources of both fiber types.

2000-Calorie Diet Recommendations

Shown below are the reference numbers used to compute the Daily Value percentages that appear on the Nutrition Facts labels on foods sold in the U.S. These numbers are meant to approximate the nutrients needed for the average person consuming 2000 calories per day.

Click any of the vitamin or nutrient names below to learn more about the importance of each element, and to see detailed dietary allowances for specific population groups.

***Daily Value recommendations are based on a 2000-calorie diet. Recommendations for individuals will vary depending on gender, age, weight, and other factors.