Recommended Daily Fibre Intake
Written by: CDHF
Updated: November 15th, 2022
Fibre is an important dietary component at any stage of life. Understanding the recommended daily fibre intake required at all ages and stages will help you know how to stimulate movement in the digestive system and prevent illnesses.
Recommended Daily Fibre Intake
Canadian women need 25 grams of fibre per day and men need 38 grams of fibre per day. Most Canadians are only getting about half that much.
Females
| Age | g/day |
| 1-3 | 19g |
| 4-8 | 25g |
| 9-18 | 26g |
| 19-50 | 25g |
| 51+ | 21g |
| Pregnant | 28g |
| Breast Feeding | 28g |
Males
| Age | g/day |
| 1-3 | 19g |
| 4-8 | 25g |
| 9-13 | 31g |
| 14-18 | 38g |
| 19-50 | 38g |
| 51+ | 30g |
How can you make a healthier choice?
- For a healthy diet, increase the amount of fibre you eat.
- Use the % Daily Value (% DV) in the Nutrition Facts table.
- Remember: 5% DV or less is a little and 15% DV or more is a lot for all nutrients.
- Fibre is a nutrient you may want more of.
Fibre through Stages
Fibre is an important dietary component at any stage of life.
Fibre in Childhood
Young children do not need as much fibre as adults because of their smaller size, but it is still an important component of their overall health. To help improve a child’s fibre intake, try leaving the skins on fruits and vegetables and cutting them into fun shapes.
Fibre and Pregnancy
In pregnancy, progesterone, a hormone produced by the ovaries, relaxes muscles in the gastrointestinal tract and slows digestion which can cause constipation. Eating the recommended amount of fibre is a great way to ease this common side effect of pregnancy and maintain a healthy, balanced diet. If constipation symptoms persist consult your health care provider.
Fibre and Breast-feeding
Breastfeeding requires a lot of energy and nutrients in the body, so increasing your fibre intake will help meet your fibre needs while feeding your infant.
Fibre for those over 50
As the body ages, changes occur in the digestive tract. It becomes less effective at absorbing fibre. This may be caused by illness, medications and inactivity. A high-fibre diet helps stimulate the movement of the digestive system and can prevent related illnesses such as constipation and diverticulosis.
