What is fibre?
Fibre, also called dietary fibre, is the part of plant foods that the body cannot digest. Fibre is found in foods like vegetables and fruit, whole grain products, nuts and seeds, and legumes (dried peas, beans and lentils). Fibre can be either insoluble or soluble. Most foods have a combination of both.
Why is fibre important?
Insoluble fibres can help keep your gut healthy and prevent constipation.
Soluble fibres can help:
- Lower your blood cholesterol level
- Control your blood sugar levels
- Keep you feeling full longer, which can help you to control your weight
Dietary fibre may also help prevent colon cancer.
How much fibre do I need?
Depending on your age and sex, aim for the following amount of fibre each day:
| Age (years) | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | 19 g | 19 g |
| 4 to 8 | 25 g | 25 g |
| 9 to 13 | 31 g | 26 g |
| 14 to18 | 38 g | 26 g |
| 19 to 50 | 38 g | 25 g |
| 51 to 70+ | 30 g | 21 g |
| Pregnancy (any age) | / | 28 g |
| Breast feeding (any age) | / | 29 g |
g = gram
People with intestinal or bowel diseases may not be able to eat large amounts of fibre. Speak with your health care provider or registered dietitian to find out how much fibre is right for you.
How can I increase the amount of fibre I eat?
Add additional fibre to your diet slowly to limit gas, cramping and discomfort. As you increase the amount of fibre in your diet, drink more fluids such as water to help keep your bowel movements soft.
Choose high fibre foods every day. Here are some tips to get you started:
- Start the day with a high fibre breakfast cereal (see “Food Sources of Fibre” table for ideas)
- Choose fresh, frozen and canned vegetables and fruit. Juice is not high in fibre
- Eat 100% whole grain breads, brown rice and whole wheat pasta
- Add cooked legumes, like lentils or beans, to your soup, casserole or salad
- Add dried fruits, nuts or seeds to yogurt, muffins, or salads, or eat them on their own
If you find it hard to eat enough fibre from food, talk to your health care provider or registered dietitian about a fibre supplement.
Tips for Reading Food Labels
Check the Nutrition Facts table on the package for the amount of fibre in a serving. This is usually shown in grams. Look for labels that say “high” or “very high” source of fibre, which means the food has at least 4 to 6 grams of fibre per serving.
Check the ingredient list. Look for ingredients such as bran, whole grain wheat, oatmeal or rye flour. Enriched wheat flour and unbleached flour are both refined white flour and are not good sources of fibre. The word multigrain may mean that a small amount of whole grain has been added to enriched flour. Multigrain does not mean that the food is a good source of fibre.
For more nutrition information, call 8-1-1 to speak with a registered dietitian.
Food Sources of Fibre
| Food | Portion | Fibre (grams) Insoluble and Soluble |
|---|---|---|
| All bran cereals (any kind) | 30 g | 11* |
| Almonds, roasted | 60 mL or ¼ cup | 4 |
| Apple with skin | 1 medium | 4 |
| Banana | 1 medium | 2 |
| Black beans, cooked or canned baked beans | 175 mL or ¾ cup | 9 to 10 |
| Blackberries or raspberries | 125 mL or ½ cup | 4 |
| Bran, 100% natural wheat bran | 30 mL or 2 Tbsp | 3 |
| Bran flakes | 30 g | 5* |
| Bread, sprouted grain | 35 g or 1 slice | 3 to 5* |
| Brussels sprouts | 4 sprouts | 3 |
| Corn, carrot, or broccoli, cooked | 125 mL or ½ cup | 2 |
| Dates, dried | 3 dates | 2 |
| Edamame/green soy beans, cooked and shelled | 175 mL or ¾ cup | 6 |
| Flax seeds, ground | 15 mL or 1 Tbsp | 2 |
| Garbanzo beans (chickpeas), cooked | 175 mL or ¾ cup | 6 |
| Green peas, cooked | 125 mL or ½ cup | 4 |
| Hummus | 175 mL or ¾ cup | 7 to 11 |
| Kidney beans, dark red, cooked | 175 mL or ¾ cup | 9 |
| Kiwi fruit | 1 large | 3 |
| Lentils, cooked | 175 mL or ¾ cup | 6 |
| Mango | 1 fruit | 3 |
| Mixed vegetables, cooked | 125 mL or ½ cup | 3 |
| Oat Bran, prepared | 175 mL or ¾ cup | 3 to 4* |
| Oatmeal (large oats), prepared | 175 mL or ¾ cup | 3 to 4* |
| Peanut butter, natural | 30 mL or 2 Tbsp | 3 |
| Peanuts, dry, roasted | 60 mL or ¼ cup | 3 |
| Pear, canned halves | 125 mL or ½ cup | 2 |
| Pear, with skin | 1 medium | 5 |
| Popcorn, popped | 500 mL or 2 cups | 2.4 |
| Potato, with skin | 1 medium | 4 |
| Raisin Bran | 30g | 4* |
| Red River® cereal, prepared | 175 mL or ¾ cup | 4* |
| Shreddies or Spoon Size Shredded Wheat | 30g | 4* |
| Soy nuts, roasted | 175 mL or ¾ cup | 7 |
| Split peas, cooked | 175 mL or ¾ cup | 4 |
| Sunflower seed kernels, dried, hulled | 60 mL or ¼ cup | 4 |
| Whole wheat bread, commercial | 35g or 1 slice | 2* |
| Whole wheat spaghetti, cooked | 125 mL or ½ cup | 2* |
g = gram, mL = millilitre, Tbsp = tablespoon
*Check the label to confirm the amount
