Increase your fibre intake

In the past when told to add fibre to your cooking, you might have looked at adding ingredients such as bran, whole grain cereals, beans, nuts or certain fruit and vegetables. While these foods do contain fibre, they might not necessarily be easily compatible with certain of your favourite recipes.

The merits of a high fibre diet are well known, and include the fact that fibre helps to contribute to a feeling of being full and helps to prevent overeating, fibre slows down the digestive process and therefore helps slow down the absorption of glucose which keeps blood sugar on a more even level, and fibre helps to keep the contents of the intestines moving.

While a healthy diet should include 25 - 30 grams of fibre every day, few people consume this amount. “Experts recommend including 5 or more servings of fresh fruit and vegetables daily and at least 3 servings of whole grain cereals or foods daily, such as whole oats, barley, whole rye, whole corn, millet, whole wheat, sorghum and so on,” says Johannesburg based dietician Anne Till. “Certain properties of dietary fibre play a positive role in weight management since products containing a high fibre content produce a greater feeling of fullness or satiety than lower fibre foods, and as such contribute to a reduction in the overall amount of food consumed. This in turn may contribute to a reduction in one's total daily calorie intake and as a result successful weight regulation is facilitated,” she adds.

South Africans are now able to add a little “magic” to their cooking and while you won't even taste the difference, your body will appreciate the difference!
Benefiber is a new fibre supplement that is 100% natural, taste free, sugar free, dissolves completely in beverages and soft foods and will not thicken. The only active ingredient in Benefiber is Wheat Dextrin, a natural soluble fibre that is considered gluten free. Three servings of Benefiber per day (two teaspoons per serving) is recommended and will add a total of nine grams of dietary fibre to your diet. For children between the ages of six and 11, the maximum daily intake of Benefiber is 3 teaspoons.

Benefiber can be mixed into any hot or cold beverages such as water, coffee or juice; into soft foods such as sauces, pudding or yogurt, or cooked with in recipes for such foods as muffins, stews or soups without affecting the taste or consistency. Benefiber is not recommended for use in carbonated drinks.
Benefiber is available at leading pharmacies and supermarkets.

Novartis Consumer Health