Local company creates groundbreaking fiber additive

  • By Mark Weaver
  • June 24, 2011
  • 263
                        
David Skinner and his wife Kim did not start out looking to solve the world’s 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 wasn’t 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 didn’t 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 there’s no change in taste, no change in texture,” Skinner continued. “If you take a teaspoon of our Extreme product and put 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 it’s 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 you’re 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 won’t 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. 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, it’s 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 ten 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 person’s bloodstream. Zedrick Clark, owner of Nature’s Food Market, is an enthusiastic promoter of the High Fiber It products. “What I think is exciting about the Extreme Blend is that it’s the only single ingredient fiber additive I’ve seen with a good taste,” said Clark. He also commented on the product’s versatility and the unusually high fiber concentration of the blends. The products are available at Nature’s Food Market, and also at Swiss Village Bulk Foods, Shepherds Market and Country Hills Bulk Foods, and several other area stores. 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. It’s a program that’s easily accessible through the company’s website. 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 people’s fiber needs.


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