By: Ema Kosova, 31-07-25

Dietary fiber plays a crucial role in healthy digestion and overall health, yet the importance of fiber has been quietly overlooked. With increased consumption of convenience foods that are quick to eat and addictive, fiber has been designed out of modern diets - meaning that most of us aren't eating nearly enough of it.

Yet with interest in gut health growing and 'high fiber' claims becoming more popular, the forgotten nutrient is finally entering the spotlight. Fiber-rich upcycled ingredients present an opportunity to put fiber back into the food system again.

In this article we outline why fiber matters, some causes of the 'fiber gap', and how upcycled ingredients can help to close the gap in a sustainable way.

What is fiber, and why is it important?

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate found in plant-based foods that the body cannot digest, but is essential for supporting a healthy gut with major impact on overall health.

There are 2 types of dietary fiber: soluble (dissolves in water) and insoluble (does not dissolve). Together, soluble and insoluble dietary fiber contribute to a range of functions, including:

• Digestive health: Helps regulate bowel movements, prevent constipation, and support healthy gut bacteria.
• Heart health: High fiber diets are linked to lower cholesterol and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Blood sugar regulation: Slows glucose absorption, improves insulin sensitivity, and reduces the risk of diabetes.
• Appetite regulation: Increases satiety, helps regulate appetite, and supports a healthy weight.
• Mental health: Emerging evidence shows links between the gut microbiome (fed by fiber) and a positive influence on mood and cognitive function.

The 'Fiber Gap'

Despite the importance of fiber reaching far beyond gut health, insufficient intake of dietary fiber is one of the major nutrient deficiencies in the modern diet.

While the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends eating at least 25g of dietary fiber per day, most adults are not meeting these guidelines. Average intakes for adult males in Europe range from 18-24 g per day and for females 16-20 g per day (EUFIC).

The gap in recommended intake vs actual intake of dietary fiber is known as the 'fiber gap'. The fiber gap has major implications for health outcomes, including increased risk of chronic diet-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and colorectal cancer.

Why aren't we getting enough fiber?

The widespread low intake of dietary fiber is closely linked to the modern food system and our corresponding diets - high in ultra processed foods and low in fiber-rich whole foods. Over time, fiber has been:

🍞 Removed from manufactured foods through refining and processing.

🍟 Replaced from our diets through our preference for quick-to-eat convenience foods.

📈 Overlooked in marketing and health trends that focus on recommended consumption of protein, sugar, and fat.

Where has all the fiber gone?

The fiber we're not eating hasn't just disappeared. Much of it ends up in the sidestreams of food production: through processing or removal, fiber becomes sidelined as a 'byproduct', perceived as lower in value or as waste, rarely reaching people's plates.

Some examples of high fiber sidestreams are:

• Oat pulp from oat milk production
• Fruit pomace (peel and pulp) from fruit juice production
• Wheat bran from milling wheat into plain (white) flour
• Spent grain from beer brewing
• Soy okara from soy milk and tofu production
• Potato peels from potato processing e.g. for fries/crisps

Upcycling is an opportunity to reclaim fiber-rich sidestreams as high-value, nutritious components of food and put them back into the food system again.

Soy okara (left), spent grain flour (middle), wheat bran (right).

Putting fiber back on the menu

Consumers are becoming more knowledgable about the importance of dietary fiber (Innova Market Insights), but they shouldn't bare the burden alone. The food industry has a responsibility to help close the fiber gap too - and a major opportunity to do so while fiber is trending.

Integrating high-fiber upcycled ingredients into everyday manufactured foods such as breads, pasta, and sweet and salty snacks is a simple, clean-label, and delicious way to boost fiber content while also contributing to sustainability.

For example, swapping just 10% of conventional wheat flour with upcycled spent grain flour in bread rolls can contribute to one third of a person's missing fiber intake per serving, while reducing resource use and preventing food waste at the same time!

Source: Agrain by Circular Food Technology

Without being a substitute for the consumption of whole foods rich in fiber, upcycled ingredients offer a solution for food products that fall short on their fiber contents - but are ready to meet the mark.

Ready to close the fiber gap with upcycled ingredients in your products? Contact us at contact@agrainproducts.com.