How much fibre do I need?

According to the latest government guidelines, your total fibre intake should be 18g per day, depending on your age and gender. Most adults in the UK, however, get less than 12g of fibre each day.

Increasing fibre intake

In order to ensure an adequate intake of both soluble and insoluble fibre, you should include a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your daily diet.

Increasing fibre intake

Eat more vegetables, either raw or steamed. Cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli are particularly high in fibre.

Eat more fruit with skin and seeds, such as apples, pears, and berries.

Choose high-fibre breakfast cereals, cold or hot.

Add rolled oats or canned beans to casseroles, or use rolled oats for crumble toppings and stuffings.

Eat whole-grain products, such as wholemeal bread, brown rice, and biscuits made from wholemeal flour rather than white flour.

Add wheatgerm or oats to pancakes, meatballs, or burgers.

Use cereal in place of nuts or in place of flour when making biscuits.

Food	Serving size	Fibre
Kidney beans, cooked	100g (3 ½ oz)	6.2g
Lentils, cooked	100g (3 ½ oz)	1.9g
Bran flakes	1 bowl (30g/1oz)	3.9g
Peas, boiled	80g (3oz)	4.1g
Baked beans	100g (3 ½ oz)	3.5g
Prunes, canned	100g (3 ½ oz)	6.0g
Wholemeal bread	1 slice	2.0g
Porridge, cooked	1 bowl (200g/7oz)	1.8g
Apple (with skin)	1 medium	1.8g
Brown rice, boiled	100g (3 ½ oz)	0.8g