Soluble and insoluble fiber contents of some Cameroonian foodstuffs.

As a result of the lack of reliable data on the fiber content of African foodstuffs, a study to determine the dietary fiber contents (soluble, insoluble and total) on a dry weight basis of a selected variety of major Cameroonian foods was conducted. The influence of processing and preparation methods on the fiber content was also assessed. Vegetables were found to be the richest source of total dietary fiber (57%), followed by legumes and seeds (30%) and fruits (16.5%). Okro (Hibiscus esculenta), plantain (Musa paradisiaca) and beans (Phaseolus spp) showed varietal differences in their soluble and insoluble fiber content, while methods of processing and preparation significantly influenced the fiber content of cassava (Manihot esculenta), corn (Zea mays) and beans.