Many of us could benefit from a bit more fiber in our diets. Adding it to a recipe without losing its appeal may be possible.
Researchers at RMIT University in Australia developed a modified starch product which can be added to foods without altering its flavor, color, texture, or taste.
FiberX is a native starch made from wheat, corn and cassava. It resists digestion, much like actual fiber. However, microorganisms can ferment it in our colon, potentially improving the digestion process.
FiberX, according to the team behind it, can be added to low fiber foods like pizza and cakes to make them more healthy. It can also be added to foods low in calories or low in fat. Glycemic indexThis is how quickly food raises glucose levels. It is crucial for people with diabetes. Diabetes). You can also make it gluten-free.
“We can now add extra fiber to foods like white bread and other staples without changing the taste or texture, which has been one of the main issues with many commercially-available fiber supplements to date,” Asgar Farahnaky is a food technologistRMIT University associate professor
“Our product is barely noticeable after it has been added.” It’s similar to a parent hiding vegetables inside a child’s meal to make it healthier.
The researchers found that FiberX could be added to food up to 20% more fiber than what was required to make FiberX taste better. This is quite a lot.
FiberX was created by scientists who modified the starch’s molecular structure to make it more digestible.
“Once the resistant starch is processed, it must be highly resistant to be considered as a successful conversion of dietary fiber.” Mahsa Majzoobi, a food scientistRMIT University.
This method can convert around 80 percent of the original starch into dietary fiber at the moment. Before FiberX can be scaled up and mass produced, the team is looking for greener, more chemical-free methods to apply this conversion.
Fiber is a carbohydrate which cannot be digested by the body. It has the ability to improve the function and health of the digestive system. Fiber is known to be a preventative for obesity. Type 2 diabetesReduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
FiberX has other benefits than the health implications. According to researchers, for example, large amounts of waste from plant protein production can be converted into dry pulse starch, and then into FiberX.
The research team is partnering with the Microtec Engineering Group to work on getting FiberX out of the lab and into actual products, and at a competitive price – though there are still plenty of steps to take before it can actually appear in diets.
Natural fiber It plays an important roleModifying our gut microbiome is important. It will also be crucial to evaluate the impact of modified starch on microbes living within us.
This review was published by the same team in Food HydrocolloidsWe compared the various methods for changing starch from cassava and found numerous reports about the health benefits of the starch.
“This technology allows us to increase the amount fiber in the food, so that we can get our recommended daily intake. Even if we eat less food, this could help with weight control and diabetes.” Farahnaky.
