A long-time staple in foods fortified for health, fiber has benefitted from decades of clinical research with concomitant increases in consumer awareness and support from nutritionists. The wealth of evidence supporting the role of fiber in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the basis for the Institute of Medicine’s recommended Adequate Intake levels of 25g for women and 38g for men1. However, science has moved beyond CVD and is showing the positive effects of fiber in improving gastrointestinal health; glucose tolerance and insulin response; reducing the risk of developing some cancers; and increasing satiety, and hence, weight management.
Consumers understand the importance of fiber, with the 2011 “International Food Information Council (IFIC) Food and Health” survey reporting that 62% of shoppers seek out fiber when buying packaged foods or beverages, and 56% try to consume “as much as possible”2.