Will New Labeling Get Americans to Eat More Fiber?

Dietary fiber encompasses a diverse group of carbohydrates as well as lignin that cannot be digested and absorbed in the human small intestine, but may be fermented by bacteria in the colon. Although dietary fiber is not considered to be a nutrient, this complex matrix of compounds plays an important role in human health.

Most Americans of all ages consume too few grams of dietary fiber, prompting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 to highlight the importance of adequate fiber consumption.…