Total Fiber
What it is · too little · too much · daily reference values by country
For reference only. This is not a diagnosis or a prescription. If you have concerns, talk to a doctor or pharmacist.
What it is
- Soluble fiber forms a gel in the gut and slows the absorption of cholesterol and glucose, and insoluble fiber adds bulk in the gut and helps the bowel move. (Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare · Korean Nutrition Society)
- Dietary fibre has an established role in bowel function. (European Food Safety Authority)
Getting too little
- Too little fiber may lead to constipation, a higher risk of diverticular disease, and disruption of the gut microbial ecosystem. (Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare · Korean Nutrition Society)
- Low intakes of dietary fibre may result in impaired bowel function (e.g. constipation) and other related conditions. (European Food Safety Authority)
Getting too much
- Taking in too much fiber may reduce nutrient absorption, cause stomach and bowel discomfort, and cause growth problems in growing children. (Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare · Korean Nutrition Society)
- No upper intake level was set for fiber because no serious toxicity has been reported, but consuming fiber in highly concentrated health functional foods may cause gastrointestinal side effects and reduce nutrient absorption. (Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare · Korean Nutrition Society)
Daily reference values by country
Korea · US · EU — tap to open
These tables are daily reference values for healthy people. Numbers in the text above are a different kind of value, and you cannot diagnose yourself from them. How to read RDA, AI and UL
Korea — 2025 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans (Ministry of Health and Welfare)
| Group | AI |
|---|---|
| 1–2 years | 10 g |
| 3–5 years | 15 g |
| Male · 6–8 years | 20 g |
| Male · 9–11 years | 20 g |
| Male · 12–14 years | 25 g |
| Male · 15–18 years | 25 g |
| Male · 19–29 years | 30 g |
| Male · 30–49 years | 30 g |
| Male · 50–64 years | 30 g |
| Male · 65–74 years | 30 g |
| Male · 75+ years | 30 g |
| Female · 6–8 years | 15 g |
| Female · 9–11 years | 20 g |
| Female · 12–14 years | 20 g |
| Female · 15–18 years | 20 g |
| Female · 19–29 years | 20 g |
| Female · 30–49 years | 20 g |
| Female · 50–64 years | 25 g |
| Female · 65–74 years | 25 g |
| Female · 75+ years | 25 g |
US — NASEM (National Academies)
| Group | RDA | AI |
|---|---|---|
| 0–6 months | — | |
| 7–12 months | — | |
| 1–3 years | 19 g | |
| 4–8 years | 25 g | |
| Male · 9–13 years | 31 g | |
| Male · 14–18 years | 38 g | |
| Male · 19–30 years | 38 g | |
| Male · 31–50 years | 38 g | |
| Male · 51–70 years | 30 g | |
| Male · 71+ years | 30 g | |
| Female · 9–13 years | 26 g | |
| Female · 14–18 years | 26 g | |
| Female · 19–30 years | 25 g | |
| Female · 31–50 years | 25 g | |
| Female · 51–70 years | 21 g | |
| Female · 71+ years | 21 g | |
| Pregnancy · 14–18 years | 28 g | |
| Pregnancy · 19–30 years | 28 g | |
| Pregnancy · 31–50 years | 28 g | |
| Lactation · 14–18 years | 29 g | |
| Lactation · 19–30 years | 29 g | |
| Lactation · 31–50 years | 29 g |
EU — EFSA (European Food Safety Authority)
| Group | AI |
|---|---|
| Male · 1–3 years | 10 g |
| Female · 1–3 years | 10 g |
| Male · 4–6 years | 14 g |
| Female · 4–6 years | 14 g |
| Male · 7–10 years | 16 g |
| Female · 7–10 years | 16 g |
| Male · 11–14 years | 19 g |
| Female · 11–14 years | 19 g |
| Male · 15–17 years | 21 g |
| Female · 15–17 years | 21 g |
| Male · 18+ years | 25 g |
| Female · 18+ years | 25 g |
| Pregnancy · 18–60 years | 25 g |
| Lactation · 18–60 years | 25 g |
Sources
- EFSA DRV Finder (Dietary Reference Values) · checked 2026-10-07
- EFSA DRV Finder — nutrient descriptions · checked 2026-10-07
- EFSA Overview on Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (v11, August 2025) · checked 2026-10-07
- 2025 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans, Vol. 1: Energy and Macronutrients (Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare · The Korean Nutrition Society; in Korean) · checked 2026-10-07
- 2025 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans — summary tables (Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare · The Korean Nutrition Society; in Korean) · checked 2026-10-07
- NASEM Dietary Reference Intakes summary tables (Appendix J, 2019) · checked 2026-10-07
The sentences are plain-language summaries of official sources written by SuppleBoard. Each English sentence was checked against the source text by an AI reviewer before publishing. The agencies do not endorse this site. Published 2026-10-16.