Fiber Power

Brand: Springboard
SKU: SPR250

Dietary supplement that encourages proper and complete digestion.

MSRP: $24.50
Wholesale: $12.25

Quantity:
  • Fiber Power is made from pure, natural ingredients with Certified Organic grains and seeds.
  • The combination of the "superfoods": Amaranth, Kamut, Quinoa, and Spelt — rich sources of essential fatty acids and gentle dietary fibers — makes Fiber Power a benchmark for other fiber supplements.
  • Fructooligosaccharides promote the growth of bifidobacterium, one of the trio of "friendly" bacteria so critical to the ability of our bodies to absorb and assimilate the nutrients in food.

For a generation, the U.S. Surgeon General's office along with almost every national health organization, has made a concerted effort to educate Americans about the role dietary fiber plays in reducing the risk of life-threatening diseases. Fiber Power provides ten grams of fiber per serving, but it is much more than a fiber supplement. It is what are becoming known as functional foods – a combination of foods which together produce a more powerful effect than if the foods are consumed separately. Fiber Power is a unique blend of dietary fibers, "superfoods", and fructooligosaccharides. Psyllium, a fibrous herb, is a good intestinal cleanser, a stool softener and a lubricant for intestinal tract tissue. Pectin fiber has the capability of removing heavy metals and toxins, lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease and gallstones. Fennel seed helps rid the intestinal tract of mucus. There are two essential fatty acids – linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. (Most Americans have an excess of the third fatty acid, arachidonic acid, because the richest and principal source of AA are animal products.) Linoleic and arachidonic acid are "omega-6" fatty acids which encourage blood clot formation. Alpha-linolenic acid is an omega-3 oil which reduces clotting. The ideal is to achieve a balance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Pumpkin seed, flax and chia are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids which have vitally important properties for strengthening immunity and cleaning the heart and arteries.

For centuries quinoa ("keen-wa"), a member of the Chenopodium family which includes spinach, beets, chard and lamb's quarters, was the sustaining food of the Incas. It's amino acid balance is so perfect that the National Academy of Science called it "the best source of protein in the vegetable kingdom." It cooks like rice with a nutty flavor and slightly chewy texture. It is the nutritional equivalent of meat and potatoes both so adding a few vegetables makes a nutritious simple meal.

Amaranth sustained the Aztecs for centuries until Cortez banished it as a commercial crop. Amaranth seeds are small, about the size of poppy seeds. One mature plant may produce half a million seeds. The Aztecs dried the seeds, then cooked them as a hot cereal or ground them into flour. They also cooked the leaves much as we cook spinach or turnip greens. Amaranth contains eight times more iron than wheat and is a rich source of lysine, the amino acid deficient in grains. It is also rich in fiber, magnesium, calcium, zinc, and copper. Spelt biologically resembles wheat, the ancient food referred to in the Old Testament. Spelt contains more vitamins B-1 and B-2 than other grains as well as magnesium and iron. It is easily digested, highly soluble, and many wheatsensitive individuals seem to tolerate it very well. Spelt flour makes excellent bread because it is higher in gluten than wheat.

Kamut is the ancient wheat of Egypt. Each kernel is two to three times the size of a common wheat kernel. Kamut is a nutrition powerhouse – averaging 17 percent protein (common wheat averages 8–10 percent), and higher levels of most vitamins and minerals than wheat. It is also extremely rich in amino acids and fatty acids.

No research is necessary to prove that a diet high in meat and refined foods and low in grains, fruits and vegetables is likely to result in gastrointestinal distress and/or disease. There are approximately three pounds of bacteria in the average adult's gastrointestinal tract. The "friendly" bacteria such as Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, promote good health while the harmful bacteria such as E. Coli and streptococcus, are responsible for illness and disease. Unfortunately, the result of diet and overuse of antibiotics is that the harmful bacteria outnumber the good by a margin of two to one in a "healthy" individual's gastrointestinal tract. Gastrointestinal tract dysfunction can be linked to almost every health disorder. Obviously, if we cannot break down, absorb and metabolize the nutrients in our food, our bodies become vulnerable to disease. The term dysbiosis is used to describe a situation where pathogenic bacteria dangerously outnumber beneficial bacteria. Dysbiosis plays a role in acne, autoimmune diseases, breast cancer, Candida albicans, chronic fatigue syndrome, colitis, colon cancer, depression, digestive problems, fatigue, food allergy and intolerance, intestinal gas and bloating, rheumatoid arthritis, schizophrenia, and premenstrual syndrome.

Fiber Power contains fructooligosaccharides (fruc-toe-oly-go-sack-a-rides) or FOS, a fiber-carbohydrate which occurs naturally in foods. Garlic, honey, rye, brown sugar, bananas, onions, and barley contain trace amounts of FOS, but you would have to eat large amounts to gain a therapeutic dose of FOS. The simple sugars in the food also weakens the benefits of FOS. Fructooligosaccharides taste sweet because they are sugars, but the interesting thing about FOS is that the sucrose molecules are linked together in such a way that the body cannot digest them. They leave the small intestine undigested and arrive at the large intestine where the most important "friendly" bacteria, bifidobacterium, uses them for growth and proliferation. FOS specifically promotes bifidobacterium, the most significant microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract. Studies have shown bifidobacteria can lower cholesterol; prevent food poisoning; reduce the pH in the gastrointestinal tract (harmful bacteria and other pathogens do not thrive in an acidic environment); increase the digestibility of lactose and calcium; make vitamins B-1, B-2, B-6, B-12, niacin and folic acid; and create substances that stimulate the natural contraction of digestive tract muscles.

FOS is produced from sucrose fermented by enzymes. The end product is tested for purity and is identical to the FOS found in foods. Technically, FOS is a soluble fiber and contains no calories, but when bifidobacterium consume them, shortchain fatty acids are produced. These fatty acids are absorbed by the walls of the large intestine and used for energy. The calories generated by this biological activity is approximately 1.5 calories per gram. (Fats provide 9 calories per gram, carbohydrates and protein provide 4 calories per gram.)

Fiber Power is a convenient functional food – one of the cornerstones of a healthy lifestyle. Fiber should be added gradually to the diet over several weeks. A minimum of 8 glasses of water per day allows fiber to work its magic. Fiber Power can be added to juices, fruit purees, shakes and baked goods.

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