Dubai  - March 14th, 2006 

Benefiber, the new fiber  supplement by Novartis, helps ensure regular bowel motility and prevents digestive problems such as abdominal pain, tension, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. 

Adding a fiber supplement such as Benefiber can ensure that you are getting the right amount of daily fiber especially if you find it difficult to get adequate amounts of fiber from eating high fiber foods alone. With no fat or cholesterol content, it has a delicious green apple taste and is very convenient to use as it comes in pre-dosed sachets for individual servings, ready to drink. One sachet is the daily dose containing 5g of fiber, to be taken preferably in the morning. It does not need to be mixed with any foods or beverages. However, if required, it could be mixed with fruit juices or yogurt. 

Nihal Hakeem, Brand Manager for Benefiber says, "Dietary fiber constitutes an important part of a healthy diet. But do we know enough about how important they are to make sure we have enough in our daily diet?"

Along with a healthy diet, Benefiber provides the body with enough fiber for a body's daily requirement. Fiber is necessary to keep the bowel motility regular, maintain the health of the large intestine & prevent digestive symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, tension, constipation and diarrhea.

Functions of Fiber 

  • They absorb water and rehydrate stool in cases of constipation and dehydrate stool in cases of diarrhea to adjust bowel movement in both cases.

  • Fibers maintain a healthy digestive system, preventing adverse digestive symptoms such as abdominal pain, tension, bloating, discomfort, constipation & diarrhea.

  • They absorb toxins in the colon and promote easier elimination.

  • They stimulate growth of beneficial bacteria or microflora in the intestine, increasing stool mass & volume & aid in preventing the build up of disease causing bacteria.

  • Some fibers are best in lowering blood cholesterol levels.

  • Some fibers prevent metabolic waste and undigested foods from sitting in the colon for days and creating toxic by-products.

  • Certain fibers are important for people who are sensitive to low or high blood sugar levels.

  • Correcting the fiber inadequacy in one's diet will help one to achieve normal bowel movements & habits.

Nihal Hakeem continues to say,"Concentrate on eating a variety of foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains, you will automatically be set. Just don't do it all of a sudden. Give your body time to adjust to the new fiber routine, otherwise you might experience bloating, gas, and intestinal pain."

The American Heart Association advises to consume 25 to 30 grams of fibers out of fresh fruits and/or vegetables. In practice this means: have five to nine portions of fresh fruits or vegetables a day. A sachet of Benefiber contains 5 gms of fiber so 1 sachet a day with your diet will supply a good amount.

The Top Fiber Foods

When taking Benefiber, make sure you get the rest of the fiber quantity your body needs from your daily meals. Make sure you include some of the following high fiber vegetables and fruits: 

Dried beans, peas, and other legumes
Bran Buds
Fresh or frozen green peas
Dried fruit: figs, apricots and dates
Raspberries, blackberries and strawberries
Sweet corn
Whole-wheat and whole-grain cereal products
Rye, oats, cornmeal
Bread, pastas, pizzas, pancakes and muffins made with whole-grain flours.
Broccoli-very high in fiber
Baked potato with the skin.
Plums, pears, and apples
Raisins and prunes
Greens  including spinach
Nuts especially almonds
Cherries
Bananas
Carrots
Coconut
Brussels sprouts
Normal Bowel Habits

It is normal for one to have one or two soft, well formed easily passed bowel movements a day, without any effort or straining.

Some people have the best "bathroom libraries" in the world! The habit of reading in the bathroom simply means improper digestive function.

It is not normal to miss moving one's bowel on any given day. It is not normal to solve the problem by taking a laxative. If your bowels move daily, but with difficulty or straining, if your stool is dry or hard, or if you don't move your bowels daily you need to adjust your diet for the right amount of fiber intake..

On the other hand if your bowel moves daily, but frequently or occasionally more than three times a day, or have loose stools with a sense of urgency you also need to adjust your diet for the right amount of fiber intake.

Enough water intake is also important for proper absorption and lubrication.

Cooking Tips:

  • Use brown rice rather than white rice, whole wheat rather than white pasta.

  • Choose fresh fruits over canned or juice.

  • Choose whole grain breads.

  • Leave peeling on fruits and vegetables when possible.

  • Use oats as fillers in casseroles or as thickening agents in sauces.

  • Add slices or shredded vegetable to potato or pasta salads, sandwich spreads, or spaghetti sauce.

-Ends-

For any enquiries please contact:
Dr. Maha Alnakkash
Trans-Arabian Creative Communications Services (TRACCS)
Dubai Media City
Tel:   00 9714 3672530   
Email: maha.alnakkash@traccs.net

© Press Release 2006