By the Nutriveda editorial team · Sources checked 2026-10-31
Dietary fibre is the part of plant food your small intestine cannot digest. It reaches the large intestine more or less intact, where it adds bulk and feeds gut bacteria. EFSA considers 25 g a day adequate for normal bowel function in adults. The foods that get you there fastest are pulses, seeds, nuts, oats, berries and whole grains: half a cup of cooked lentils gives almost 8 g, a cup of white rice less than 1 g. This page lists common high-fibre foods per 100 g and per typical portion, all from USDA data, and shows one ordinary day that reaches about 30 g.
High-fibre foods per 100 g and per portion
| Food | Fibre per 100 g | Typical portion | Fibre per portion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chia seeds, dried | 34.4 g | 1 oz (28 g) | 9.8 g |
| Almonds | 12.5 g | 1 oz, about 23 nuts (28 g) | 3.5 g |
| Small white beans, cooked | 10.4 g | half a cup (90 g) | 9.3 g |
| Oats, rolled, dry | 10.1 g | half a cup (40 g) | 4.0 g |
| Lentils, cooked | 7.9 g | half a cup (99 g) | 7.8 g |
| Chickpeas, cooked | 7.6 g | half a cup (82 g) | 6.2 g |
| Avocado | 6.7 g | half an avocado (100 g) | 6.7 g |
| Raspberries | 6.5 g | 1 cup (123 g) | 8.0 g |
| Bulgur, cooked | 4.5 g | 1 cup (182 g) | 8.2 g |
| Broccoli, boiled | 3.3 g | half a cup chopped (78 g) | 2.6 g |
| Pear, raw | 3.1 g | 1 medium (178 g) | 5.5 g |
| Apple, raw, with skin | 2.4 g | 1 medium (182 g) | 4.4 g |
| Brown rice, cooked | 1.6 g | 1 cup (202 g) | 3.2 g |
| White rice, cooked | 0.4 g | 1 cup (158 g) | 0.6 g |
Data: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, checked 2026-10-31: chia seeds (FDC 170554), almonds (170567), small white beans cooked (173750), oats (173904), lentils cooked (172421), chickpeas cooked (173757), avocado (171705), raspberries (167755), bulgur cooked (170287), broccoli boiled without salt (169967), pears (169118), apples with skin (171688), brown rice long-grain cooked (169704) and white rice long-grain enriched cooked (168878). Portion weights are the USDA weights for each record; half portions are half of the USDA cup or fruit weight. Values are rounded.
How much fibre a day
- Adults: 25 g a day. This is the amount EFSA considers adequate for normal bowel function (laxation) in adults. EFSA also noted evidence that higher intakes are linked with lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes and with easier weight maintenance.
- Children: EFSA sets 2 g per MJ of energy a day for children from age 1, which scales with how much they eat.
- The larger picture. A WHO-commissioned series of reviews (Reynolds et al., The Lancet, 2019) pooled close to 200 prospective studies and 58 clinical trials. People who ate the most fibre had 15-30% lower rates of death and of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer than people who ate the least, with the largest benefit seen at about 25-29 g a day. These are mostly observational studies, so they show a link, not proof that fibre alone caused the difference.
What counts as “high fibre” on a label
EU law (Regulation 1924/2006) allows a food to say “source of fibre” if it has at least 3 g of fibre per 100 g (or 1.5 g per 100 kcal), and “high fibre” if it has at least 6 g per 100 g (or 3 g per 100 kcal). By the per 100 g rule, everything in the table above from chia seeds down to raspberries would pass the “high fibre” line. Bulgur, broccoli, pears and brown rice are lower per 100 g, but bulgur and pears still give a useful amount per portion because the portions are large.
Soluble and insoluble fibre
- Soluble fibre (for example beta-glucan in oats and barley, pectin in fruit) forms a gel with water. The EU allows the claim that beta-glucans from oats and barley contribute to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels, for foods that give at least 1 g per portion, with the information that the effect comes with 3 g a day.
- Insoluble fibre (for example wheat bran, the skins of pulses and seeds) adds bulk. The EU allows the claims that wheat bran fibre contributes to faster intestinal transit and to an increase in faecal bulk.
- Most whole plant foods contain both kinds. Eating a mix of pulses, whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds covers both without counting each type.
One ordinary day with about 30 g
| Meal | What | Fibre |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | half a cup of oats (40 g dry) with 1 cup of raspberries | 12.0 g |
| Lunch | half a cup of cooked lentils, for example in red lentil soup with lemon | 7.8 g |
| Snack | 1 medium apple and 1 oz of almonds | 7.9 g |
| Dinner | half a cup of boiled broccoli on the side | 2.6 g |
| Total | about 30 g |
Sums of the USDA portion values in the table above. Lunch and dinner obviously have other foods too; this counts only the main fibre sources.
Risks and who should be careful
- Go up slowly. A sudden jump in fibre, especially from pulses, can cause wind and bloating while your gut adjusts. Adding one portion at a time over a couple of weeks is easier, and drinking enough fluid helps.
- Irritable bowel syndrome. Some high-fibre foods (beans, lentils, some fruit) are also high in fermentable carbohydrates (FODMAPs) and can make symptoms worse. If you have IBS, build up with the help of a doctor or dietitian.
- Chia seeds absorb a lot of liquid and swell. Eat them soaked or mixed into something moist, not dry by the spoonful.
- Medical conditions and medicines. If you have a bowel condition, have had bowel surgery, or have been told to follow a low-fibre diet, follow that advice. Fibre supplements can affect the absorption of some medicines; ask your doctor or pharmacist about timing.
Easy ways to eat more fibre
- Swap the grain. Bulgur or brown rice instead of white rice: a cup of cooked bulgur has more than 13 times the fibre of a cup of white rice.
- Add a pulse to one meal a day. Half a cup of beans, lentils or chickpeas gives 6-9 g on its own. Hummus counts.
- Keep the skin on apples and pears.
- Top breakfast with berries, nuts or seeds.
- Fill half the plate with vegetables, as in the Mediterranean diet for beginners plan.
Recipes with plenty of fibre
Related entries
- Lentils per 100 g: red, green, brown, Puy
- Chickpeas per 100 g: dry, cooked, canned
- White beans per 100 g
- Mediterranean diet
- Mediterranean diet for beginners
FAQ
How much fibre should I eat a day?
EFSA considers 25 g a day adequate for adults. Large reviews of studies link about 25-29 g a day with the lowest risk of several chronic diseases.
Which food has the most fibre?
Per 100 g, seeds such as chia (34.4 g) and nuts such as almonds (12.5 g) are at the top of our list. Per typical portion, cooked beans and lentils (8-9 g in half a cup) and raspberries (8 g a cup) give the most.
What does “high fibre” mean on a food label?
In the EU, at least 6 g of fibre per 100 g or 3 g per 100 kcal. “Source of fibre” means at least 3 g per 100 g or 1.5 g per 100 kcal.
Is brown rice high in fibre?
Not very: 1.6 g per 100 g cooked. It has four times the fibre of white rice (0.4 g), but bulgur (4.5 g) and pulses (7-10 g) have far more.
Can too much fibre be a problem?
Increasing it quickly can cause wind and bloating. People with IBS or other bowel conditions may need to adjust which fibre foods they eat; ask a doctor or dietitian.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy records 170554, 170567, 173750, 173904, 172421, 173757, 171705, 167755, 170287, 169967, 169118, 171688, 169704 and 168878. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- EFSA NDA Panel (2010). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for carbohydrates and dietary fibre. EFSA Journal 8(3):1462. efsa.europa.eu
- Reynolds A, Mann J, Cummings J, et al. (2019). Carbohydrate quality and human health: a series of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The Lancet 393(10170):434-445.
- Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods, Annex (nutrition claims). EUR-Lex
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims (beta-glucans, wheat bran fibre). EUR-Lex
This page is for information only and is not medical or dietary advice.