Research has shown that regular use of this dried vegetable can lead to significant health benefits
Spotted: Getting enough fibre in your diet is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, strokes, and bowel cancer. Yet, while the recommended daily fibre intake for an adult is about 30 grams, most of us don’t eat more than 24 grams. Startup WholeFiber is making it easier for everyone to get the fibre they need to stay healthy.
To do this, WholeFiber produces and sells 100 per cent dried chicory root, which has multiple proven health benefits. The Dutch company grows and dries its own chicory root locally, using a proprietary drying process to preserve the healthy fibres in the intact plant cells and minimise the vegetable’s bitterness. The product contains 85 per cent prebiotic dietary fibre and is easy to add to any dish, boosting gut microbiome health as it’s digested.
Unlike processed fibres used in some products, WholeFiber’s prebiotic chicory fibres are still “encased” in the structure of chicory plant cells. This slows their release and allows them to reach further along the length of the large intestine. Beneficial gut bacteria break down the fibres and release compounds such as butyrate, which are essential for maintaining blood sugar stability and reducing serum triglycerides.
Marianne van Es, managing director and CCO of WholeFiber, told Springwise that the company is especially motivated by the feedback it receives from health professionals and consumers who have been helped by the product, including “people who focus on healthy ageing, people with prediabetes, children with obesity and constipation,and people with severe gut issues who have experienced noticeable improvements in their health and quality of life.”
According to Van Es, studies conducted at Maastricht UMC+ and Wageningen University have demonstrated that ingesting WholeFiber daily for 12 weeks led to measurable health improvements. The results were published recently in the journal Cell Reports Medicine, and indicated that participants showed improvements in insulin sensitivity, blood counts, and fat cell size, among others.
Funders of the company include Icos Capital and a Dutch regional investor. The funding, which was raised in 2021, was used to increase production capacity, build further sales pipeline, and secure a prominent position in target markets. The product is currently available in the Netherlands and Belgium, and will shortly be available in the United Kingdom and Germany.
Original item can be found here
