Ingredient Information

Function

Fiber ingredients are added to foods to increase the nutritional value. Fiber is either soluble or insoluble. Soluble fiber can be broken down in the body and will help lower cholesterol and blood sugar. Insoluble fiber cannot be broken down, but helps pass foods though the intestines and relieves constipation. Oat hull fiber on an ingredient label indicates only insoluble fiber, but oat fiber itself can be either soluble or insoluble. Food companies most often add oat fiber in order to make nutritional claims and increase sales. Occasionally, oat fiber can also be used for fringe applications such as meat breading or as filler in ground meat products. Fiber additives are usually isolated fiber, meaning that the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are found in natural fiber sources have been removed.

Other Use and Industries

Oat fiber is also available as a nutritional supplement.

Health Effects

Though fiber additives are very common in food products, the Food and Drug Administration evaluates each individually. Oat fiber falls into an additive category known as GRAS (generally regarded as safe), which applies to ingredients in which there is little anticipated health concern. Because oat fiber is isolated from the external portion of the oat grain, the FDA sets pesticide residue limits. As long as the oat fiber complies with the limits on these chemicals, the additive maintains its GRAS certification. In extreme excess, additional insoluble fiber can cause GI distress, mostly due to its inability to be digested. Symptoms of fiber overload include cramping, bloating, gas and diarrhea. Additionally, excess fiber has been shown to reduce the absorption of nutrients like zinc, calcium and magnesium. None of these symptoms are life threatening, however, and are all relieved after the food is passed out of the body. The positive health effects associated with fiber consumption include regulated digestion, an increase in healthy intestinal bacteria and improved blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Origins

Oat fiber is fiber that has been isolated from the oat grain, usually from the outside shell of the grain. After oats are cleaned, they proceed to a machine that cracks the hull on the outside and separates it from the center. After this, the method of processing the hulls to create purified oat fiber is propriety to the company. However, at least one process has been created for the production of chemical-free, organic oat fiber. Other methods use chemicals to produce fiber with a lighter color.