High-Fiber Ingredients
Pages 83-92
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/1891127233.006
ISBN: 1-891127-23-3
Abstract
Topics Covered
- Health and Nutrition Aspects
- Cereal-Based High-Fiber Ingredients
- Plant-Derived High-Fiber Ingredients
- Other High-Fiber Ingredient Sources
- Labeling, Nutrient Content, and Health Claims
- Nutrient Declaration
- Nutrient Content Claims
- Other Labeling Issues
- Health Claims
Introduction to Chapter
Through the advances in science and technology, we know a great deal more about fiber and health than we did 20 years ago. Fiber has been associated with many positive effects in relation to supporting health and preventing various diseases. Both the insoluble and soluble fiber components have been associated with these benefits. While there is general consensus regarding the nutritional benefits that fiber imparts, the general public's consumption of fiber in Western countries remains below recommended levels. In the United States, the recommended daily intake is 25–30 g of fiber a day (from both soluble and insoluble sources) (1). The American public, however, consumes about 10–15 g a day (1,2). An opportunity exists to increase fiber consumption by creating a variety of good-tasting high-fiber products for the marketplace.
In general, insoluble fibers are related to colon health through their ability to increase fecal bulking, decrease transit time of waste materials in the colon, decrease fecal pH, delay glucose absorption, and bind or dilute organic compounds that have been found to be causative agents in certain diseases associated with the colon. Insoluble fibers are not digested in the stomach or small intestine, but they may be fermented by colonic bacteria to some extent in the large intestine. They have been correlated with preventing constipation, diverticulosis, and hemorrhoids.
Soluble fibers, in general, affect heart health. They have been associated with the control of cholesterol and glucose levels in the blood through their ability to delay gastric emptying, delay glucose absorption, and decrease serum cholesterol levels. These functions help to protect against heart diseases and diabetes. Soluble fibers escape digestion in the stomach and small intestine but are rapidly fermented in the large intestine. Their role in the lowering of serum cholesterol is thought to be related to their ability to bind bile acids in the small intestine, causing them to be excreted rather than readsorbed into the liver. Since cholesterol is converted into bile acids in the liver, the binding and excretion of bile acids causes an increase in the conversion of cholesterol to bile acids, thus lowering the cholesterol pool.
Both fiber types have been found to play a role in the prevention of certain cancers. The intake of insoluble fibers has been correlated with the prevention of colon cancer. The short-chain fatty acids (e.g., acetate, propionate, and butyrate) that are the by-products of the fermentation of soluble fibers have been linked with proper colon function. The intake of soluble as well as insoluble fibers has been shown to protect against breast, prostate, and other cancers. The exact role that these fibers play is still not known.
Many studies have been done with high-fiber ingredients to determine their efficacy and role in the prevention of these health-related issues. The following section reviews the findings for each of the principal categories of high-fiber ingredient.
