Fiber: A Closer Look at Health Benefits

Newswise — Two new review studies in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, published by the Institute of Food Technologists, take a closer look at fiber—from the different types available to the role fiber plays in cardiovascular disease and overall health.

Lead author R. Chawla reviews the history of soluble dietary fiber and the most up-to-date research on its role in human nutrition and food availability. The authors discuss major soluble fibers such as oat fiber (found in oats), barley, wheat, and resistant starch found in whole grains, produce, and beans.

Researchers from AgroFood Technology Department at Miguel Hernandez University and Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Bogota, Colombia, discuss fiber as a functional food tool to aid in reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Lead author M. Viuda-Martos discusses functional foods that include dietary fiber and combat CVD. Fiber is seen as• a reducing agent for high cholesterol,• a component for optimal gastrointestinal health,• integral for improvements in insulin response for diabetics,• a possible aid to reduce the risk of developing some cancers, • and a promising start to weight management research.

To read these comprehensive reviews visit: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/123287501/PDFSTART, http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/123287499/PDFSTART

About IFTThe Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is a nonprofit scientific society. Our individual members are professionals engaged in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, academia, and government. IFT’s mission is to advance the science of food, and our long-range vision is to ensure a safe and abundant food supply, contributing to healthier people everywhere.

For more than 70 years, the IFT has been unlocking the potential of the food science community by creating a dynamic global forum where members from more than 100 countries can share, learn, and grow. We champion the use of sound science across the food value chain through the exchange of knowledge, by providing education, and by furthering the advancement of the profession. IFT has offices in Chicago, Illinois, and Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit ift.org.