Dietary Fiber on the Food Label

Dietary Fiber on the Food Label

In the U.S., information about the amount of dietary fiber per serving appears in the Nutrition Facts Panel (on the side or back of packaging) unless the product contains less than one gram of fiber and no fiber claims are made.

In the U.S. products that contain at least 10% of the daily value or 2.5 grams of fiber per serving can claim they are a “good source of fiber” and those containing at least 20% of the daily value of fiber or 5 grams or more of fiber per serving can label the product with a high fiber claim.

In Europe, the product must contain at least 3 g of fiber per 100 g of a product or at least 1.5 g of fiber per 100 calories to qualify for a “source of fiber” claim. To be a “high-fiber” food, the product must contain at least 6 g of fiber per 100 g of a product or at least 3 g of fiber per 100 calories.

Make sure to note how much a serving is. If the label says there are two servings in the container but you plan on eating the whole thing, you need to multiply all the values (including fiber) listed on the label by two to determine how much of each nutrient you will actually consume.

Each ingredient in a food or beverage is listed on the package label alongside the Nutrition Facts Label. Fibers may be listed as a type of flour (e.g., wheat, rye, and oat) or as individual fibers. It is important to eat a wide range of dietary fibers from different sources to get all the benefits that fiber can provide. In addition, you should try to limit saturated fat, trans fat and sodium.

For more on fiber labeling click here.