compound

Dietary fibre

Dietary fibre is a group of non-digestible carbohydrates and associated compounds that pass into the large intestine.

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Its members differ in structure, viscosity, fermentability and food source, so fibre is a category rather than one molecule.

Food sources

Per 100 g

Food amounts per 100 g
Food	Per 100 g
Ground flaxseed	23.1 g
Almonds, dry-roasted and salted	11 g
Almonds	10.8 g
Peanuts, raw	8.01 g
Lentils, cooked and salted (SR Legacy 2018)	7.9 g

Show 15 more foods

Food amounts per 100 g
Food	Per 100 g
Hummus, commercial	5.4 g
English walnuts, raw	5.21 g
Pumpkin seeds	5.08 g
Carrots, frozen and unprepared	3.2 g
Mature carrots, raw	3.1 g
Brown rice, long-grain, raw	3.02 g
Pie pumpkin, raw	2.3 g
Spinach, raw (SR Legacy 2018)	2.2 g
Grape tomatoes, raw	2.1 g
Red Delicious apple, raw	2.04 g
Navel orange, raw	2 g
Banana, ripe, raw	1.7 g
Spinach	1.56 g
Orange bell pepper, raw	0.97 g
White rice, long-grain, raw	0.15 g

About these amounts

These values describe the named food and preparation. A 100 g comparison is not a suggested serving. Small amounts are rounded for display; an unreported amount is not zero.

Portions recorded by the source

Almonds, dry-roasted and salted: 1 cup (135 g) — 14.85 g.
Hummus, commercial: 2 tablespoon (33.9 g) — 1.83 g.

The source records and EFSA guidance are linked in References below.

How it works

A family of non-digestible carbohydrates

EFSA defines dietary fibre as non-digestible carbohydrates plus lignin, including non-starch polysaccharides, resistant oligosaccharides and resistant starch. The definition separates fibre from glycaemic carbohydrates that are digested and absorbed in the small intestine.

Worth knowing

EFSA adult reference. EFSA considers an intake of 25 g/day of fibre adequate for normal laxation in adults.

A closer look

Soluble and insoluble are useful shorthand

Solubility is only one property. Viscosity, fermentability and the food matrix can differ within both broad labels, so a fibre amount should retain its definition and source.

Solubility is only one property

Fibre behaviour also depends on viscosity, fermentation, particle structure and the surrounding food matrix.

References

Source-checked local draft.
Human editorial review pending.