Fiber reformulation would go “long way” in improving public health, argues Tate & Lyle

02 Feb 2022 --- Reformulating everyday foods with added fiber can lower the risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes for 72% of the UK population, a study by Tate & Lyle has revealed.

“Most people understand that eating fiber helps keep bowel function regular, but fewer understand that getting the right amount of fiber in your diet is highly beneficial for wider health and wel-lbeing, including cardiovascular, immunity, skin, brain and gut health,” says Dr. Kavita Karnik, global head, nutrition & regulatory affairs at Tate & Lyle and co-author of the study.

UK adults consume 19 g of fiber per day on average, significantly under the recommended amount of 30 g, with only 9% currently meeting the daily target, the company notes.

“Fiber fortification could play a highly beneficial role to public health – it would allow consumers to continue eating the products they prefer while potentially lowering rates of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and help maintain a healthy weight across the population,” she adds.

Though intentional fiber consumption often increases with age, many younger consumers are also recognizing the various wellness benefits of increasing their intake of functional fiber.

Reformulation meets fiber
If the fiber content is increased in everyday foods such as baked items, dairy products, soups, smoothies and dressings, this will enable 50% more adults to get the recommended daily amount of fiber in their diets, Tate & Lyle outline.

Researchers worked with specialist data analytics company Crème Global for the study. Reformulating everyday foods with added fiber could more than double the number of children in the UK meeting their fiber intake recommendation. Higher fiber consumption could see 6% of the UK population lose weight.

“We know that we need diets to change to support better health but encouraging people to make sustained changes to their behavior is notoriously difficult. This is where reformulation of the everyday products that people eat and drink can be effective in improving nutritional intakes,” says Sara Stanner, science director at the British Nutrition Foundation.Consumers find it challenging to meet the recommended daily fiber intake without exceeding their calorie consumption.

COVID-19 has brought fiber trends to new heights, as consumers have become increasingly concerned with wellness. 

Taking small steps
The company notes there are a number of steps consumers can take to increase their fiber intake. These include swapping jam on toast with almond or other nut butters, swapping standard yogurts with added fiber yogurts.

Consumers can also swap the milk chocolate with a “reduced sugar” version, with added fiber to retain sweetness without compromising on taste. Additionally, white sliced toast could be replaced with a fiber fortified cereal.

Last year, Kerry announced it devised Emulgold Fibre, a natural, soluble solution made from acacia gum that can fortify white bread to help improve the daily fiber consumption of the average adult.

“Reaching the daily recommendation is challenging, even if consumers eat the recommended three portions of starchy food and five portions of fruit and vegetables. This still falls short of the daily 30 g fiber,” says Amy Glass, UK diet and health policy manager at the Food and Drink Federation, commenting on the results of the study.

“We welcome this research in demonstrating the power these initiatives can have on improving the national diet and raising awareness on the benefits of fiber as part of everyday, healthy lifestyles.”

The findings are published in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Edited by Andria Kades