Can added fibre really make cake and chocolate healthy? 

Many of us don’t eat enough wholegrains, fruit and veg to meet our daily fibre needs — on average, we get 19g of the recommended daily 30g, according to the British Nutrition Foundation.

But what if you could get your fibre from cakes, ice cream, and white bread? That’s the suggestion from the makers of new products said to be high in this gut-boosting nutrient.

Dietary fibre refers to plant-based carbohydrates — which include the outer bran part of grains (what makes wholemeal bread wholemeal) and the tough cell walls and peel of fruit and vegetables.

Unlike other carbs — such as sugar and starch — these carbs are not digested in the small intestine but reach the large intestine (or colon), where some of them feed ‘good’ gut bacteria that regulate hunger, mood and the immune system.

Sweet: Unlike other carbs ¿ such as sugar and starch ¿ these carbs are not digested in the small intestine but reach the large intestine (or colon), where some of them feed ¿good¿ gut bacteria that regulate hunger, mood and the immune system

Sweet: Unlike other carbs — such as sugar and starch — these carbs are not digested in the small intestine but reach the large intestine (or colon), where some of them feed ‘good’ gut bacteria that regulate hunger, mood and the immune system

Fibre can also help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.

While we know wholemeal bread, fruit, veg and pulses will give us the fibre we need, many of us still don’t get enough. So can the new range of products that boasts high-fibre content make up the shortfall?

To make a claim to be high fibre, the product has to contain 6g of fibre per 100g, or 3g per 100 calories.

The fibre found in these foods, which include even chocolate, typically comes from concentrated amounts of fibre extracted from a food such as wheat.

Manufacturers can also use starches that are chemically modified to be resistant to digestion and therefore act like natural fibre in the body.

These so-called isolated fibres — ie those added in the manufacturing process — have some health benefits, for example beta glucan extracted from oats and added to pasta, say, may lower cholesterol, while resistant starches may stabilise blood glucose levels. That doesn’t mean all high-fibre foods are equal. 

‘Research on the benefits of foods with added fibre versus natural fibre is limited,’ says Megan Rossi, a dietitian from King’s College London. ‘A key difference with products containing added fibre is that only the fibre component has been added, without the other beneficial compounds (such as antioxidants, which protect cells from damage) that are naturally found in high-fibre whole foods.’

These foods also only contain one type of fibre, whereas those naturally high in the nutrient will have different types of fibre, each with slightly different benefits, adds Derbyshire-based dietitian Helen Bond, a spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association. 

Fact: Dietary fibre refers to plant-based carbohydrates ¿ which include the outer bran part of grains (what makes wholemeal bread wholemeal) and the tough cell walls and peel of fruit

Fact: Dietary fibre refers to plant-based carbohydrates — which include the outer bran part of grains (what makes wholemeal bread wholemeal) and the tough cell walls and peel of fruit

‘One type of fibre can’t offer all the benefits of a high-fibre diet. Resistant starch may be good at keeping your blood sugar steady, but may not be as good at bulking the stools and keeping your bowels regular, while cellulose fibre from wheat can.

‘It’s unquestionably better to get all the fibre we need from a healthy diet, but as so few of us do, fibre-fortified foods can be useful.’

Unfortunately, she says, many of the new foods, such as cakes and chocolate, that manufacturers add fibre to aren’t the type that we should be eating regularly, as they are high in fat and sugar.

‘Putting isolated fibres into what are essentially low nutritional value foods just to make them seem healthier is worrying.

‘People might pick up a “high-fibre” brownie thinking they are eating something virtuous when an apple or handful of walnuts could supply their fibre needs. These would also provide vitamins and antioxidants, are low in saturated fat and have no added sugar.’

There are other potential concerns as some fibres are fermented quickly by gut bacteria — an issue if you have a sensitive gut.

Inulin — a fibre found in onions and used by manufacturers to boost fibre and as a sugar replacer — can cause intestinal ‘distress’ in those who have problems such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

‘On the face of it, inulin is a healthy “prebiotic” fibre that boosts levels of beneficial gut bacteria, but in some people it causes painful trapped wind, cramping and flatulence,’ says Helen Bond.

Other troublesome fibres to look out for on ingredient lists include chicory root, oligosaccharides, and oligofructose.

‘Those with IBS or who feel bloated should limit how much they’re having of these fibres,’ says Megan Rossi. ‘We’ve found as little as 3g in one go — which you might find in one fibre-boosted cereal bar — can be a problem. Start with small amounts and increase over several weeks. This way, your gut is able to adapt.’

Here, Helen Bond assesses six new products that boast a high-fibre content. We then rated them.  

FIBRE ONE 90 CALORIE BARS 

The amount in one bar may be also enough to cause discomfort in those who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome or bloating

The amount in one bar may be also enough to cause discomfort in those who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome or bloating

Pack of four, £2.89, most supermarkets. Per bar: Calories, 89; saturated fat, 1.9g; protein, 1.2g; sugar, 6.5g; salt, trace; fibre, 5.8g

On the plus side, this contains chicory root extract, which provides a decent amount of the fibres inulin and fructose-oligosaccharides, which boost levels of ‘good’ Bifidobacteria in the gut, thought to help with constipation and traveller’s diarrhoea.

However the amount in one bar may be also enough to cause discomfort in those who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome or bloating. Apart from the added fibre, one of these offers little nutritionally and I would prefer getting fibre naturally from healthier foods. They weigh less than a French Fancy, so you could easily eat more than one, which could be a problem for your waistline.

Just one

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