“Roughage” may not sound appealing to many palates, but the weight-control, cardiovascular, digestive and cancer-prevention properties of fiber are increasingly tasty to consumers and food/beverage manufacturers. “By now, consumers across the board are well aware of the benefits of getting an adequate amount of dietary fiber in their diets,” said Joseph O’Neill, executive vice president of sales and marketing for BENEO-Orafti Inc. “These benefits, of course, include a measure of protection against numerous common diseases and disorders, along with healthy, regular digestive function and an overall feeling of well-being. The public is also well aware that most people do not get enough fiber. Everyone is looking for a better way to supplement their diets with adequate fiber.”
Media messages as well as doctors and nutritionists are increasingly touting the benefits of getting enough fiber in the diet, and consumers are responding by adding more dietary fibers to their meals. “We’ve known about the benefits of fiber for 25 to 30 years,” said Kelley Fitzpatrick, nutritionist and technical advisor, Pizzey’s Nutritionals, a division of Glanbia Nutritionals. “We have good science and that has been effectively communicated to consumers through health professionals. Dietitians support the consumption of fiber and we know our diets are low in fiber. The media is also picking up on the benefits of fiber in the diet.”
Lorraine Niba, Ph.D., regional marketing manager, Americas at FrieslandCampina Domo, noted consumer awareness of fiber benefits has increased, partly due to food and beverage manufacturers that have promoted products with these benefits. “Prior to this, consumers only had a general understanding that fiber was helpful for regularity, and for preventing constipation and diverticulitis,” she said.
Food makers can legally publicize benefits of their fiber-containing products. If a food contains 1.7 g per serving of psyllium husk soluble fiber, or 0.75 g of oat or barley soluble fiber as beta-glucans, FDA permits product marketing to claim regular consumption, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. That food label must also state, “A serving of [name of food product] supplies __ grams of the [necessary daily dietary intake for the benefit] soluble fiber from [name of soluble fiber source] necessary per day to have this effect.”
Despite the rise in interest, most Americans are still not getting enough fiber in their diets. The American Heart Association (AHA) claimed dietary fiber consumption in the United States averages about 15 g/d. However, the Institutes of Medicine (IOM) said fiber intake for adults 50 years and younger should be 38 g for men and 25 g for women, while for men and women older than 50, it is 30 and 21 g/d, respectively.
In essence, fiber is food material the body ingests, but does not digest. It pushes food through the digestive system, absorbs water and eases digestion. Fiber is classified as either soluble or insoluble. Soluble fiber is able to dissolve in water, is fermented by bacteria in the gut and becomes gelatinous in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Soluble fiber binds with fatty acids and prolongs stomach emptying time so sugar is released and absorbed more slowly. “When water-soluble fiber reaches our intestines, it swells so it will hydrate and form a gel in the stomach. That traps lipids, cholesterol, fat, etc., and can help to reduce serum cholesterol levels and also very effectively helps to moderate blood glucose,” Fitzpatrick said.
Insoluble fibers are not dissolved by water and pass through the digestive system mainly intact. They move bulk through the intestines, and control and balance the pH (acidity) in the intestines. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) noted both soluble and insoluble fibers are important for health, digestion and disease prevention.
