“Drink your way to health” is a concept that has blossomed over the past few years, as successive waves of “better-for-you” beverages have achieved success. From pomegranate juices and green teas to probiotic drinks and almond milks, consumers have a dizzying array of drink options for improved health and better living.
Ingredients that are natural and multifunctional are in great demand by food formulators and product developers. Pea, oat and corn fibers are healthy ingredients loaded with dietary fiber and have the added benefit of being perceived as “natural” by consumers.
Pulses and their fractions—protein, starch and fiber—are increasing in popularity for multiple reasons. They are high in protein and beneficial fiber (including resistant starch) and are replete with vitamins and minerals.
North Americans try to consume more fiber. In fact, 72% of the 1,000+ people surveyed in 2011’s International Food Information Council’s (IFIC) “Food and Health Survey” say so.
Fiber has a range of healthy benefits, and manufacturers are stretching fiber’s potential applications, even as Americans continue to face a fiber consumption deficit.
Researchers at Michigan State University have shown a prebiotic may help the body's own natural killer cells fight bacterial infection and reduce inflammation, greatly decreasing the risk of colon cancer