Tate & Lyle, leading global provider of food and beverage ingredients and solutions, has joined forces with the Nutrition and Health Institute INSK (Instituto de Nutrición y Salud de Kellogg´s) of Kellogg, to share the latest science on dietary fibres with health clinicians, nutritionists, and food and beverage industry professionals across Mexico, Colombia, Chile and Argentina.

Research indicates that consumers in Latin America do not get enough fibre in their diet – with many not aware of the health benefits of dietary fibres, which go beyond gut health. The average fibre consumption among Latin Americans can be lower than 15 grammes per day, while the recommendations for adults range between 25 and 40g per day.

Following a similar programme launched by Tate & Lyle in Brazil last year, which attracted over 6,000 participants, Tate & Lyle and Kellogg are building on that success by offering an expanded online curriculum entitled Dietary fibres: benefits that go beyond gut health.

The programme, which runs from 16 August to 31 December 2021, features 12, 20-minute video lessons in Spanish led by nutrition experts and food scientists from different countries across Latin America, covering a wide range of fibre-related topics including:

• Current dietary fibre recommendations and consumption in the Latin American region;
• The gut health and fibre connection including links to prebiotics, microbiota and immunity;
• Benefits of fibre across childhood and throughout healthy ageing;
• Dietary fibres and body weight, glycaemic response, bone and cardiovascular health;
• Emerging science: The impact of fibre on the gut-brain axis.

The online platform offers health professionals the flexibility to move at their own pace and prioritise those lessons which are most beneficial to their ongoing learning and practices.

"Fibre has so many health benefits beyond a healthy gut: getting enough fibre is associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and bowel cancer. It supports the normal functioning of the bodys immune system and has even been linked to having a positive impact on mood and emotional wellbeing," said Renata Cassar, Tate & Lyles senior nutrition manager, Latin America.

"We are proud to share our latest science and understanding of fibre with fellow health practitioners in the region – our purpose is all about Improving Lives for Generations and we hope attendees come away from the course with a better understanding of and confidence in the role fibre can play in supporting a healthier, balanced diet."

"Nutrition is part of the Kellogg DNA, we are passionate about supporting the continuous education of health professionals on relevant topics like the impact of dietary fibre on intestinal microbiota or the role of fibre in trending diets like Mediterranean, ketogenic, FODMAP, etc. Fibre consumption in Latin American countries is often insufficient, and we want to make a difference" said Elisa Gómez Reyes, INSK lead at Kellogg.