Did you know? Most people don’t get enough fiber in their diets – studies show less than 5% American adults meet the daily fiber recommendations of 25 grams for Women and 38 grams for men (Slavin 2005, Rehm 2016). High-fiber diets are linked to many health benefits, such as improved blood sugar, healthier gut bacteria, and a reduced risk of bowel cancer (Weickert 2008, Macfarlane 2006, Kunzmann 2015).

Why is a high-fiber diet important?

Fiber helps guard against type 2 diabetes by slowing down how fast carbs are digested and how quickly sugar is absorbed into the blood. Because fiber may keep you feeling fuller for longer, it may also regulate appetite and decrease calorie intake leading to weight loss.

Here are the top benefits of Tapioca Fiber:

1. Gut-Loving:

Listen up, fellow upset sensitive stomach besties! In our bars, we use Prebiotic Tapioca Fiber, which is a Resistant Dextrin fiber (RD). This means it is filled with prebiotics that nourishes beneficial gut bacteria. The fiber resists digestion in the upper gastrointestinal tract and reaches the colon largely intact, where it becomes a food source for probiotics, promoting their growth and activity (Journal of Functional Foods).

A flourishing gut microbiota is vital for various metabolic functions, including blood sugar control. Tapioca fiber fosters a diverse and healthy gut microbiome, which has been linked to enhanced insulin sensitivity and improved glucose metabolism.

2. Blood Sugar-Balancing Bliss:

This type of tapioca fiber does not spike blood sugar levels, helps you feel full, and may aid in the metabolic process (Hobden 2015).

Resistant dextrin (RD) has been shown to improve type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance and promote weight loss (Hu Q 2020, Aliasgharzadeh 2015). This is likely due to improved liver insulin resistance, improved serum lipid levels and reduced hepatic lipid deposition – which boosts fat metabolism (Hu F 2020).

3. May Help PCOS:

A study of 62 women with PCOS, showed that “resistant dextrin consumption can regulate metabolic parameters and androgen levels and manifestations including hirsutism and menstrual cycle irregularity in women with PCOS” (Gholizadeh Shamasbi 2019).

4. May Fight Stress:

One study of 55 women with Type 2 Diabetes, showed that 10g of RD significantly reduced the stress hormone cortisol, may have beneficial effects on mental health, and improve immune system response (Abbasalizad Farhangi 2018).

PSA: Not all fiber is created equal – some even spike blood sugar, for example IMO syrups and IMO Soluble Tapioca Fiber. Soon, this will be a thing of the past as the FDA has ruled those products can no longer be classified as dietary fibers.

The FDA no longer recognizes IMOs as a true fiber, as of January 1, 2020, large companies (>$10M in revenue per year) must label IMOs as a caloric sugar. Smaller companies (<$10M in revenue per year) have until January 1, 2021 to change their label for all products.