For Health Professionals

A Deep Dive into the Newly Approved Dietary Fibers

Fiber has recently received increased recognition as a vital component of a healthy diet, and with good reason. “Fiber has many beneficial effects including lowering cholesterol, reducing blood sugar levels and decreasing risk of heart disease,” says Dr. Keri Peterson, an internal medicine specialist who focuses on preventing, diagnosing, and treating adult health concerns. “Fiber also … Continue reading

December 12, 2019 For Health Professionals

The Bountiful Benefits of Fiber

By Rosanne Rust, MS, RDN, LDN — Fiber is an important dietary component. It serves both the food industry as a functional additive, and also provides benefits to human health. When you think of fiber, you may think of naturally occurring fibers that add “bulk” to the diet (foods like whole grains, cereals, fruits, and … Continue reading

October 24, 2019 For Health Professionals, Professional Research

The Definition of Dietary Fibre

April 21, 2010 — The Calorie Control Council is an international association representing the low-calorie and reduced-fat food and beverage industry.  It represents 30 manufacturers and suppliers of low-calorie, low-fat and light foods and beverages, including the manufacturers and suppliers of more than two dozen different dietary sweeteners, fat replacers, dietary fibres and other low-calorie … Continue reading

February 21, 2019 For Health Professionals

Addressing the Fiber Gap

Robyn Flipse, MS, MA, RDN — January 29, 2019 WHY IS SO MUCH FIBER MISSING FROM U.S. DIETS? The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), first published in 1980 and revised every five years since, have each contained recommendations that provide ample sources of dietary fiber to meet every American’s needs.   If all Americans ate the recommended … Continue reading

January 29, 2019 For Health Professionals

Finding Fiber in the Grocery Store

Robyn Flipse, MS, MA, RDN — December 17, 2018  Food shopping today is very different from just 50 years ago when shoppers pushed a cart up and down the six to eight parallel aisles of a grocery store that only sold food.  Supermarkets now cover over 45,000 square feet and offer everything from the food we eat … Continue reading

December 17, 2018 Feature Articles, For Health Professionals

Finding More Fiber-Rich Foods When Eating Out

  Robyn Flipse, MS, MA, RDN — December 17, 2018  Research on the eating habits of Americans shows that our consumption of “foods away from home”* has been steadily rising since 1987. The amount of household food budgets spent on foods away from home surpassed the amount spent for “food at home” in 2010 when it reached … Continue reading

December 17, 2018 Feature Articles, For Health Professionals

Eight Additional Carbohydrates named as meeting FDA’s definition of dietary fiber

In June 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the approval of eight additional non-digestible carbohydrates that meet the FDA’s definition of dietary fiber. The eight approved fibers include: Mixed Plant Cell Wall Fibers (includes apple fiber, bamboo fiber, cotton hull fiber, cottonseed fiber, oat hull fiber, insoluble pea fiber, pea hull fiber, … Continue reading

November 9, 2018 For Health Professionals, Research and Development

Eight Benefits of Prebiotic Dietary Fibers Summarized in 2018 Review

February 2, 2018 — The open access article “Health Effects and Sources of Prebiotic Dietary Fiber” was published in Current Developments in Nutrition. Following a brief review of the various definitions of prebiotic, the review article provides a summary of eight health benefits of prebiotic dietary fiber including the following: Effect on hind gut bacteria … Continue reading

February 2, 2018 For Health Professionals, GI Health - Microbiome, Research, Research Summaries

Talking with Patients about Fiber and their Health

January 24, 2018 — While trending diets and eating recommendations seem to be focused on elimination of specific foods or food components, it is important to advise patients on foods and ingredients they should consume – fiber being one of them. For example, numerous studies have shown fiber intake is associated with several positive health … Continue reading

January 24, 2018 For Health Professionals

Food and Fiber Summit – Addressing the Fiber Gap

On January 28 2014, various researchers, educators, and communications experts convened at the Food & Fiber Summit in Washington, DC. The purpose of the summit was to identify barriers to achieving the daily fiber intake recommendations and to determine ways in which healthcare providers can encourage adequate consumption. The Institutes of Medicine (IOM) have published … Continue reading

February 9, 2017 For Health Professionals

Recommended Daily Intake

“Of the under-consumed nutrients, calcium, potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamin D are considered nutrients of public health concern because low intakes are associated with health concerns.” – Dietary Guidelines for American 2015-2020 (8th edition). In the United States, the recommended dietary fiber intake is 14g/1,000kcal. For an average adult, this means a daily intake of … Continue reading

January 23, 2017 For Health Professionals, Healthcare Fact Sheets

Fiber Benefits: Heart Health

As heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death for Americans, the need for healthcare providers to advise patients on lifestyle choices that can reduce the risk and complications for cardiovascular disease. One of these choices is to increase fiber consumption since Americans only consumer approximately half of the recommended daily intake of … Continue reading

July 15, 2016 For Health Professionals

Addressing the Fiber Gap Can Improve Gut Microbiome Diversity

In a new article from the University of Alberta, titled “The Fiber Gap and the Disappearing Gut Microbiome: Implications for Human Nutrition,” authors provide an overview of the evidence regarding dietary fibers and the microbiome. The article, which was published in Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, reviews data which suggests low fiber diets may reduce … Continue reading

April 21, 2016 For Health Professionals