Movember, Veganuary and now #FibreFebruary
#FibreFebruary is a consumer campaign led by the Flour Advisory Bureau (FAB) to raise awareness of the benefits of fiber among UK consumers.
The campaign will incorporate a range of activities – including media events, recipe development and social media – to highlight the numerous health benefits of fibre.
According to the National Diet and Nutrition Survey undertaken in March 2018 by Public Health England (PEH) and the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA), only 4% of women and 13% of men eat the recommended 30g of fibre a day.
“Fibre is extremely important as it helps to keep our digestive systems and bowels working, in addition to contributing to healthy cholesterol levels and promoting healthy gut bacteria,” said registered dietitian Nichola Ludlam-Raine.
“Specifically, fibre helps us to feel full and prevent constipation, and there is evidence to show that diets rich in fibre may help to reduce risk of colon cancer and cardiovascular disease, too.”
In the dark
Despite this, consumers are basically in the dark about the importance of fibre, and many do not realize that foods rich in fibre – such as bread and oats – are rich in taste and texture, too.
To this end, a number of recipes have been developed and are freely available online to show consumers how easy it is to incorporate fibre into the diet.
“Bread is an important source of fibre, so this is a campaign that the whole industry can get behind,” said Alex Waugh, director geneneral of the National Association of British and Irish Millers (nabim) and FAB.
“We will be producing a ‘How to get involved guide’ and there will be plenty of content for supporters to share using the #FibreFebruary.”
