Coco dietary fiber products in the market soon

After successfully launching the virgin coconut oil and coco flour at the first Coconut Festival of the Philippine Coconut Authority at Megatrade in August 2002, Davao-based Manila Herbal & Essential Oils Co. Inc., is launching two more new products in the market as it also makes its first company presentation at the Asian Ethnic Food Festival on Nov. 21-23 at the World Trade Center.

Manila Herbal CEO/general manager Jing Consunji-Reyes said the company’s maiden participation in the Asian Ethnic Food Festival will be accompanied by two new products, namely the coconut dietary fiber and the Thera virgin coconut oil.

Reyes said the dietary fiber product – branded as the fiber-dyn – which is being produced for the first time in the Philippines by her company, is going to be pushed as a dietary food supplement, which most Filipinos badly need because of an absence of dietary fiber in their diets.

A nutritional analysis of the coconut dietary fiber per 100 gram serving showed total fat of 14 grams, sodium, 60 mg., carbohydrates 58 grams, fiber five grams or 20 percent of daily values; sugar 18 percent and protein, 19 grams. The fiber also has five percent Vitamin C; 41 percent iron, two percent calcium.

"If we are to compare our product with a popular laxative that is currently dominating the market for people who are afflicted with constipation, our product is far better because we do not only provide the basic fibers needed but also nutrients found in virgin coconut oil like vitamins, calcium and minerals," Reyes said.

Reyes said while her company is not targeting a specific sector of the market, we are positioning our product as something good for children and adults alike and for healthy and sick people.

"What we are clear about is that our product is guaranteed to get rid of those accumulated impacted wastes (feces) in the body – which cause the unsightly bulges – that result from improper diet caused by fast foods, re-heating of foods, processed foods and overcooking of food," Reyes said.

Coconut dietary fiber can be added to drinks or breakfast cereals or used in bakery products for the dietary fiber requirement of people.

Reyes said her company is also launching at the Asian Ethnic show its Thera brand of virgin coconut oil which is absent in Lanah, its first brand of Virgin Coconut Oil launched in 2002.

Virgin coconut oil has been gaining rapid acceptance locally for its multiple uses as health and beauty product, Reyes said.

Most people who buy virgin coconut oil are drinking it (at the prescribed dosage of three spoonfuls a day as a power drink); some are using it for aroma therapy and still others for skin cleansing, sun tanning, hot oil for hair and other purposes.

The nutritional coconut flour, which Manila Herbal launched simultaneously with Lanah, is also being pushed among bakeries and bakeshop operators to replace five percent of their flour requirements.