Since the early 1950's when the term was first coined, dietary fiber has been known as a type of carbohydrate from plant foods that is not digested or absorbed. They are talked about many times based on their two different types, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber touted for its blood cholesterol lowering benefits and ease to acquire from foods such as oats, beans, lentils, citrus fruits, and carrots. Insoluble fiber recommended for its benefits for the digestive system and healthy food sources such as bran, whole grain products, fruit, and vegetables. Food manufacturers have begun adding fiber to foods that were previously fiber free. (Learn more about this "stealth fiber.") Foods such as yogurt, ice cream, or drinks with isolated fibers confuse the issue for many consumers. Since many of these isolated fibers can affect the gastrointestinal system and do not contain health protective benefits, it is important to know about new classifications of fiber and why these new additives are permitted. In 2001, a Panel on the Definition of Dietary Fiber (an Institutes of Medicine panel) responded to an FDA request to formally define dietary fiber. The IOM referred to recommendations and work done by the AACC (American Association of Cereal Chemists) and developed definitions that were presented to the FDA. New definitions focus on diversity of non-digested carbohydrates in the food supply. They broaden the definition from just plants to include carbohydrates contributed by animal foods as well. They also open the door to manufactured fibers as well. So what does this mean to you when you are trying to monitor your fiber intake? In the proposed new definitions, Dietary Fiber is "non-digestible carbohydrates as well as lignin that are intrinsic and intact in plants." Non-digestible material includes those from foods that are not digested or absorbed in the small intestine as well as chemically created fibers that aren't absorbed either. Functional fibers are "those that may be isolated or extracted non-digestible carbohydrates using chemical, enzymatic, or aqueous processes." Manufactured resistant starch and modified natural sources are also included. Animal-derived carbohydrates like connective tissues are also newly included since they meet the new technical definition of "non-digestible." Now, newly synthesized products are listed as fiber on food labels. In the fall of 2007, the FDA issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking for comment on the new definitions for fiber. There is currently one category of dietary fiber on the Nutrition Fact label. The total reflects the sum of the dietary fiber and functional fiber for total fiber. The terms soluble and insoluble will eventually be phased out once analytical methods and processes are established to distinguish natural from created fibers. Currently these analytical issues prevent one clear cut set of guidelines from being followed. It is important to remember that these new definitions originated with a cereal organization. As I touched on briefly last week, marketing can be a wonderful thing. It can also cause people to venture away from the truth in favor of false promises. Food labels include isolated fibers and resistant starches as well as dietary fiber and functional fiber divisions in per serving fiber counts. However, fiber from these sources may not aid health such as lowering blood cholesterol or reducing diabetes risks in the same way their whole food counter parts might. The Bottom Line Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet. Not only does it help with digestion and regularity, it also provides heart and diabetes health benefits as well. Be careful when you read labels and see dietary fiber and functional fiber information on processed foods. Marketing hype can cause you to believe you are meeting your fiber recommendations eating high-fiber ice cream or toaster pastries. Allow your inner Spark to shine through and remind you that the fiber in a processed food will never be better for you than that of the naturally occurring fiber from a whole food. Focus your fiber counting around oats, oat bran, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and dried beans. This will allow you to be certain your health will be benefitted and you have limited your processed foods including processed fiber. Did you know there were new definitions for fiber? Did you notice changes for fiber reporting on nutrition labels? What are your favorite fiber sources?  You will earn 5 SparkPoints
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I will stick to whole foods and leave the process foods alone. Report
I sure hope we do not end up with these horrific things added in the name of dietary fiber. That really scares me. Big businesses can get away with way too much in the food industry. Pat in Maine. Report
Right now as I work in my office, my crockpot at home is simmering with chili made with dried kidney beans, fresh roma tomatoes, & herbs from my back porch. :-) Report
BTW, I disagree with the woman who blames WW for using fiber in their points formula. As a former WW client, I remember being told that we could use our points to eat Oreos, or we could use them to eat healthy foods. I think that people know to use their points to eat healthy foods, and that if they want to lose weight, they shouldn't finagle the points system by eating fiber-fortified foods (like ice cream).
For the record, my favorite fiber source is a colorful salad with dark greens, celery, cukes, red peppers, yellow peppers, and green peppers. A close second is a baked or mashed sweet potato. Yum! Report
My number one rule: Whole foods before processed foods. Yes, that includes boxed cereal! Fruits and veggies. The FDA and other agencies related to the food supply are really beginning to aggravate me! Can anyone say let's do what Holland does? They are probably more healthy than the rest of us! Report
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There were a couple questions regarding the fiber supplements:
Metamucil - psyllium (soluble fiber)
Benefiber - wheat dextrin (soluble fiber)
I believe they both come from natural sources so I would assume they would not be stealth fiber (not an expert here). It seems that Inulin, Polydextrose and Maltodextrin seem to be the main stealth fiber culprits. Report
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I generally get fiber from whole grains, whole fruits and vegetables, and those make me feel well, not sick, so that's what I'll go on doing--and will avoid fiber-improved stuff the way I avoid almost all other artificially enriched stuff in supermarkets. Report
1 - Fiber is important for health
2 - Caution is necessary related to fiber in processed foods
3 - Fiber from whole foods like oats, oat bran, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and dried beans are the still the best choices. Report
Someone should re-write this article so everyone can understand it easily without a lot of thinking. It would reach more people if it was more concise. Report