How to Figure Out the Fiber in Food

Fiber is necessary for good nutrition, but most Americans don't get enough. The Daily Reference Value (DRV) for fiber as shown on required food labels is 25 grams per day based on a 2,000-calorie diet or 30 grams per day based on a 2,500-calorie diet. In 2002, the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences Research Council issued Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), another means of measuring fiber intake. The DRI for adult males is 38 grams per day up to age 50, and 30 grams per day over age 50. For adult women, the DRI is 25 grams per day up to age 50 and 21 grams per day for ages 51 and up.

Things You'll Need

• Notebook
• Packaging from foods eaten
• Internet connection or book with fiber counts

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Instructions

Calculating Your Fiber Intake

• 1

  Determine how much fiber you should consume each day, according to the DRI or the DRV reference values.

• 2

  Keep track of the foods you eat for an entire day. List everything you consume and the number of servings in a notebook.

• 3

  Determine how much fiber you get from packaged foods by checking the Nutrition Facts label. Look for "Dietary Fiber" under "Total Carbohydrate" in the top half of the label. This shows you how many grams of fiber are contained in each serving of the food. Note this number next to the food in your notebook.

• 4

  For foods that don't contain the Nutrition Facts label, such as raw fruits and vegetables, you have two options: You can check the fiber content via an online Dietary Fiber chart such as the one referenced below, or you can purchase a pocket guide, such as "The Carbohydrate, Fiber, and Sugar Counter" by Annette Natow and Jo-Ann Heslin at retail checkout counters, at bookstores, or online. Note these counts in your notebook.

• 5

  Add up the fiber content of the foods you've eaten. Compare this amount to your target total to see how your fiber intake compares to the recommended amounts.