Fiber Is Finally Getting the Spotlight

Fiber has gone through stages of understanding, Jessica Maniscalco, director of retail partners at market research firm Spins, said in a session at March’s Natural Products Expo West.

Originally, fiber was synonymous with regularity. Then came appreciation of general gut heath. The National Institutes of Health’s Human Microbiome Project, launched in 2007, brought an even greater understanding of the microbial communities living in the human body and the role of fiber in nurturing them.

“Fiber was removed from our diets, and now we’re putting it back in,” said Jeni Britton of Floura, a maker of high-fiber bars, at the same Expo West presentation.

Matthew Amicucci, co-founder and chief science officer of One.bio, blames ultraprocessed foods for removing fiber from modern diets.

“The low-to no-fiber ultraprocessed foods dominating modern diets are starving people's gut microbiomes of the nourishment they need to fulfill their ancient role supporting our physical and mental well-being via the gut-metabolic-immune-brain axis,” he said at the same Expo West panel.

“Your ancestors consumed 80-120g of diverse fiber daily,” he continued. “Today, we consume 12g."

His company, One.bio, takes fiber study much, much further and offers an extensive selection of fibers with special attributes. “I’ve been mapping fibers for 15 years. They’re all different,” he said. The result is Glycopedia, "the world's first and largest catalog mapping the molecular structures of more than 4,000 natural fibers to their specific impacts on the gut microbiome and human health.

“These molecules are signaling compounds. They bind to receptors throughout your body. They regulate inflammation. They calibrate metabolism. They communicate with your brain. They tell your immune system what's threat and what's self.”

Amicucci prefers to break fibers into three categories:

1. Whole-Source Fibers (psyllium husk, flax, chia, wheat bran) -- Minimally processed fibers straight from nature that offer high bioactivity and have a diverse, positive impact on the microbiome.
* The trade-off: Because they are largely intact, they are highly viscous (making them very challenging to use in beverages), often have a gritty texture that limits product applications, and can introduce off-flavors that disrupt the sensory profile of the food.

2. Rapidly Fermented Fructans (chicory root, inulin, agave, fructooligosaccharides and short-chain fructooligosaccharides) -- Derived from natural plant sources, these fibers have a well-established evidence base for their prebiotic effects. They are moderately easy to formulate into many different types of applications.
* The trade-off: As their name suggests, they ferment very rapidly in the gut, which causes gas, bloating and gastrointestinal discomfort. They also are unstable in highly acidic and high-heat environments.

3. Synthetic Dextrins (tapioca/cassava fiber, soluble corn fiber, wheat dextrin, polydextrose) -- Highly engineered fibers designed specifically for formulation. They are clear, neutral, shelf-stable and acid-resistant, meaning they have virtually no impact on the taste or texture of the final product.
* The trade-off: Because they are synthetically derived, they present clean-label challenges, plus they have limited or weak prebiotic effects and provide minimal metabolic signaling value to the body compared to natural fibers.

“Fiber isn't filler. It isn't roughage. It isn't the stuff that keeps you regular,” the One.bio website says. “Fiber is a signal. When fiber reaches your gut, your microbiome transforms it into short-chain fatty acids – butyrate, propionate, acetate."

Amicucci said he believes one day soon, people will start referring to and specifying different types of fibers, rather than the all-encompassing term – "like they talk about vitamins now."

Another attribute of fiber that’s coming to the fore is its ability to create a feeling of fullness after foods are consumed. This is especially important in the battle against obesity and complements the current surge in GLP-1 weight loss medications. Fiber requires more chewing, increases oral processing time and sits longer in the stomach, making the food it’s in seems more substantial and satisfying.