But it’s still a valuable digestive nutrient

By Dana Blinder

Fibre-enriched processed foods, once touted as a way to curb hunger, may actually do little to keep appetites in check.

Researchers conducting a small study found that women who tried chocolate breakfast bars with added fibre wound up eating the same and not feeling fuller over the course of a day than women who ate similar breakfast bars with no added fibre.

"In general, added fibres don't work across the board" when it comes to helping you feel fuller longer, says senior researcher Joanne Slavin, a registered dietitian and professor at the University of Minnesota.

Slavin goes on to say study results shouldn’t steer folks from fibre-added products; this valuable digestive nutrient is one often missing from regular diets.

To get real hunger-suppression benefits from fibre, look for products with "functional fibre" (i.e., naturally occurring) instead of fibre additives. Slavin says you can distinguish the difference on nutrition labels; products that boast over nine grams of fibre are likely fibre-enriched.

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