Local company creates a groundbreaking fiber additive that interacts with your whole foods
By Mark Weaver
July 8, 2011
363
David Skinner and his wife, Kim, did not start out looking to solve the worlds fiber deficiency. They were quite happy with their bed and breakfast in North Carolina, one which included an equestrian facility and riding academy. But horses need forage, and the Skinners farm was too small.
So David began experimenting with grain blends, and other ways of adding protein and fiber to the horses diet. What he discovered was a new way of creating an additive extremely high in fiber. It wasnt long till his experiments progressed to solving his own dietary needs.
Skinner needed a solution for diverticulitis, so he created his own. Along the way he created a food additive so high in fiber, the laboratory where he sent it for testing didnt trust its own results. The product is unique for its unusually high fiber content. But Kim Skinner and her guests at the bed and breakfast liked it because it did not change the wonderful taste and texture of the muffins and other pastries she baked.
The Skinners relocated to Big Prairie, and now after years of experimenting and perfecting, the High Fiber-It family of products is finally available to consumers. What we have created is a balance of soluble and insoluble fiber, said Skinner, whereas the popular brands are soluble products, with limitations as to how much you can take.
The thing that excites us is that theres no change in taste, no change in texture, Skinner continued. If you take a teaspoon of our Extreme product and simply stir it in a glass of water, it dissipates instantly, it will never settle to the bottom. The key is getting a fiber that interacts with your whole foods.
Skinner agrees that there is no substitute for the dietary fiber received from whole foods. Good natural sources would be fruit, vegetables, nuts, cereals and grains. But the challenge for most people is getting enough fiber in their day-to-day diet. How much is enough? The American Dietetic Association recommends 25-35 grams a day of fiber, while other sources suggest the average American gets about 15 grams. So its apparent that an increase in fiber intake would be helpful to most people.
Skinner talked about the weight loss benefits of the High Fiber-It products. If youre on a diet, if you take fiber it restricts your appetite. In the morning, if I have a cup of coffee or a smoothie with a teaspoon of our Extreme product in it, I wont be hungry for six or seven hours.
The High Fiber-It products are made in three blends, for use in almost every food group. The Baking Blend increases the soluble and insoluble fiber in almost any kind of baked goods, with any type of flour. The Meat Blend is an easy way to add five grams of soluble and insoluble fiber to a quarter-pound burger or many other meat selections. The High Fiber-It Extreme Blend, an all-natural soluble fiber, is designed to be added to beverages, smoothies, or any soft foods. Added to almost any item off the grocery shelf, its a cheaper alternative to buying the high fiber specialty foods.
In combining the products, Skinner used the example of making a pizza, where the baking blend is used in the crust, the meat additive in the sausage, and the Extreme product is used in the sauce, giving one slice of pizza about 9 grams of fiber. Pizza as health food?
Besides the appetite restriction and weight loss benefits, a high fiber diet can reduce blood cholesterol and alleviate constipation. It is also beneficial to diabetics, as it slows the delivery of sugar to a persons bloodstream.
Zedrick Clark, owner of Natures Food Market, is an enthusiastic promoter of the High Fiber-It products. What I think is exciting about the Extreme Blend is that its the only single ingredient fiber additive Ive seen with a good taste, said Clark. He also commented on the versatility of the product, and the unusually high fiber concentration of the blends. The products are available at Natures Food Market, and also at Swiss Village Bulk Foods, Shepherds Market and Country Hills Bulk Foods, and several other area stores, including Local Roots Co-op and Wooster Natural Foods.
The company will make specialty blends for commercial use, such as the product supplied to Sommers Noodles. A two-ounce serving of their high fiber noodles will have about 50 percent of the daily requirement of fiber.
The company has an affiliate program, designed as a simple way for consumers to market the products as well. Its a program thats easily accessible through the companys website at http://www.highfiberit.com. They also have dozens of recipes available on the website.
Yes, Skinner found a way to feed his horses. But with High Fiber-It, he seems to have created a solution to many peoples fiber needs.
This article was underwritten by High Fiber-It.
