This Super 'Invisible Fiber' Could Make Cakes And Pizzas Healthier: Here's How

Food items like cake, pizza and pasta usually do not go hand in hand with better health. Well, maybe they can with the help of this super fiber.

A team of researchers has come up with an odorless and tasteless super fiber, which can increase fiber content in low-fiber dishes without changing the texture of food.

Researchers at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University, Australia, have developed a type of fiber, called FiberX, from native starches such as wheat, corn and cassava. FiberX is a modified starch that can be added to food to increase its health quotient.

"This new technology means we can increase the amount of fiber that goes into the food so we can receive our recommended daily intake, even while consuming less foods, which has the potential to help with weight management and diabetes," food technologist Asgar Farahnaky, an associate professor at RMIT University, said in a statement.

The "invisible fiber" can not only be added to low-fiber foods such as cakes and pizzas but also to those with low calorific value or glycemic index. Moreover, it can also be used as a gluten-free option.

"We can now add extra fiber to foods like white bread and other staples without changing the taste or texture, which has been one of the main issues with many commercially-available fiber supplements to date," Farahnaky added. "Our product is not even noticeable once added. It's just like a parent hiding vegetables in a child's meal to make it more nutritious."

The research team was able to successfully add up to 20% extra fiber to food without compromising on the taste and texture.

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that is not digested by the body. It helps improve the health and functioning of the digestive system. Fiber can also help fend off health conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, as well as lower the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

FiberX was created by modifying starch on a molecular level and then testing its reaction to digestive enzymes, co-researcher Mahsa Majzoobi said. The team was able to convert 80% of the original starch into dietary fiber using the new technology.

FiberX scores well on the green scale as well. The byproducts of plant protein production can be turned into dry pulse starch and then into FiberX, according to ScienceAlert.

FiberX is not yet ready to hit the market. The research team, in collaboration with the Microtec Engineering Group, is working on the product to make it commercial.