When we talk about developing bakery blends that add fibre to baked goods, it is no longer a case of ‘just adding some bran’. There are so many ingredients to choose from - particularly now that consumers are less surprised to find things like beans, lentils and vegetables in their bread - and including a variety of fibre-rich ingredients helps people introduce a mix of fibre types into their diet.
Health and wellbeing is a food trend that isn’t going away: it has been the main focus of our bakery NPD in recent years and remains key in our new developments for 2020. Here, we look at why we need fibre in our diets, and at creative ways of adding it to baked goods.
What is fibre and why do we need it?
Fibre is a key component of a healthy diet, as it helps improve digestion and balance out cholesterol levels in the body.
All dietary fibre has plant origins and comes in a variety of different forms, including insoluble, soluble fibres and resistant starch. All these fibre types are found in wholegrains, which makes wholegrains one of the best ways of adding fibre to baked goods. To maximise the fibre content, the bran needs to be retained on the grain.
We process a range of wholegrains, including barley, rye, wheat and spelt. Wholegrain barley is one of the best fibre sources, and the wholegrains are available in a range of formats for bakery application, including flakes, kibbles and flours. As well as adding fibre, they can be used to add flavour, texture and visual interest to baked goods.
Creating added-fibre bakery blends
Our diverse ingredients portfolio means we can create simple high fibre bakery blends using wholegrain products combined with other ingredients that are naturally high in fibre, such as pseudo-cereals, seeds and pulses. Pre-biotic fibres, such as chicory root fibre, can also be added to help achieve high fibre claims.
Brown and golden linseed, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds and chia seeds all add fibre. Pulses such as peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas that are often used to add protein to baked goods will also help boost fibre content.
Beta-glucan, a form of soluble dietary fibre found in barley and oats, has been shown to lower blood cholesterol and slow down digestion, which helps blood sugar management. We offer a high beta-glucan barley flour - Hi-Sol – for a variety of bakery blends.
Fibre plays an important part in a healthy and balanced diet, and innovation in bread and baked goods remains a good way of increasing fibre intake. For more information about high fibre bakery blends, get in touch with our team today.