Gums can provide more dietary fiber than oat or wheat bran, while also improving the texture, look, and ‘feel’ of our favorite foods

WHITE MARSH, MD – September 1, 2010 – The texture, the look, and the ‘feel’ of the foods we love benefit from the use of gums, but these gums also give food an added health bonus -- fiber.

Gums add soluble dietary fiber to a range of foods and beverages and most gums are 80% soluble dietary fiber, providing more soluble fiber than oats, wheat bran, and other better-known fiber sources.

“Fiber is the hidden health benefit of gums,” says Dr. Mar Nieto, senior principal scientist at TIC Gums, the industry leader in advanced hydrocolloids and gum systems.

“You can see, for example, that a particular food is, say, smooth, rich, and creamy, and that texture is the result of using gums. However, the benefit you can’t see is that these gums also add soluble dietary fiber essential to our overall health.”

Medical and nutrition experts agree that dietary fiber, particularly soluble fiber, promotes a healthy cardiovascular system and helps to maintain blood sugar and cholesterol levels within normal limits. Soluble dietary fiber has also been shown to help maintain a healthy intestinal tract.

The importance of fiber has prompted more than half of Americans to increase their consumption of whole grain foods in the last five years, yet while adults should consume between 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day, the average American consumes only 14 to 15 grams.

“It shouldn’t come as a shock that consumers expect healthful paybacks from the foods they already consume regularly,” says Dr. Nieto. “They’re not likely to take supplements and aren’t willing to sacrifice taste for perceived health benefits. This means each ingredient should be multifunctional.”

When it comes to gums, that functionality is built in. And since gums are in a wide range of prepared foods – from barbecue sauce to ice cream, from salad dressing to cheese – “chances are consumers are getting some of the fiber they need, largely without even knowing it,” says Dr. Nieto.

For more information on gums and fiber, visit http://www.ticgums.com/innovation-center/soluble-fiber.html.