Fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate found in plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grain products and dried beans. You need fiber in your diet to ensure intestinal health and also to help control blood glucose and cholesterol. Fiber requirements vary with age and gender, but most children and adults should consume a minimum of 20 g each day. To do this, make sure all your meals and snacks contain healthy amounts of fiber.
Adults
The Institute of Medicine recommends that men between the ages of 19 and 50 get about 38 g of fiber daily; men over 50 should get at least 30 g. The recommendation for women age 19 to 50 is at least 25 g and for women over 50, at least 21 g.
Children
The Institute of Medicine has established fiber recommendations for children over the age of one. Children age one to three should have 19 g fiber. Children age four to eight need 25 grams fiber. Girls age nine to 13 should aim for 26 g, while boys this age should aim for 31 g daily. Girls age 14 to 18 need 29 g fiber and boys this age need 31 g.
Meeting Requirements
There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble, and some foods are higher in one than the other. But it is important to get both types in your diet and since most fiber-rich foods contain both types, you'll meet your requirements if you eat a wide variety of high fiber foods throughout the day.
Cooked or canned dried beans, such as navy and kidney beans, lentils, split peas and other legumes contain between 12 and 19 g of fiber per cup. One-half cup 100 percent bran cereal contains about 12 g fiber while 1 cup of cooked oatmeal contains 4 g. One cup of cooked vegetables contain approximately 3 to 7 g fiber; fruits and berries contain roughly 3 to 8 g per serving. Nuts and seeds are also good sources of fiber, providing 2 to 4 g per ounce.
References
- Harvard School of Public Health: Fiber
- American Heart Association: Fiber and Children's Diets
- Institute of Medicine; Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein and Amino Acids; 2002
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