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Dietary Fibre
There are at least a dozen different compounds that fall under the general heading of dietary fibre, including:
- Beta-
glucans. - Cellulose.
- Gums.
- Lignans.
- Pectins.
Generally fibre is categorised as:
- Soluble. (Dissolves in water)
- Insoluble. (Does not dissolve in water)
- Resistance Starch
All have very different functions in the body.
Soluble Fibre
- Works to lubricate, soothe and regulates the digestive tract, stabilise the intestinal contractions, and normalises bowel function.
- Works to relieve diarrhoea and constipation.
- Dissolves in water (it is not digested). This allows it to absorb excess liquid in the colon, helping to prevent diarrhoea by forming a thick gel and adding a great deal of bulk as it passes intact through the gut. The gel also assists in keeping the GI muscles stretched gently around a full colon, giving those muscles something to grip during peristaltic contractions, acting to slow rapid transit time and explosive bowel movements associated with diarrhoea.
- The full gel-
filled colon (as opposed to a colon tightly clenched around dry, hard, impacted stools) provides grip during the muscle waves of constipation, allowing for an easier and faster transit time. The passage of the thick wet gel relieves constipation by softening and pushing through impacted faecal matter. - The thick wet gel acts as a lubricant which helps to soothe any inflammatory action
within the colon.
Soluble fibre helps slow down digestion (which keeps you from getting hungry as quickly after a meal) and helps regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels. A diet high in soluble fibre can help reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and may help weight loss.
Good sources of soluble fibre include:
- Apples.
- Carrots.
- Chia seeds.
- Flaxseeds.
- Legumes
- Nuts.
- Oranges.
- Oats.
- Oat bran.
- Psyllium husk.
Insoluble fibre
Does not absorb or dissolve in water. It passes through the digestive system in close to its original form. It increases the movement of material through your digestive tract and increases your stool bulk which promotes regularity.
See -
Most insoluble fibres come from the bran layers of cereal grains. Insoluble fibre is the type that helps prevent constipation, colon cancer and other digestive diseases.
Good sources of insoluble fibre include:
- Corn bran.
- Dark leafy vegetables.
- Flax seeds.
- Fruit and vegetable skin.
- Nuts.
- Seeds.
- Wheat bran.
Side Effects may occur
Eating a large amount of fibre in a short period of time can cause intestinal gas (flatulence),bloating, and abdominal cramps. This usually goes away once the natural bacteria in the digestive system get used to the increase in fibre in the diet. Adding fibre gradually to the diet, instead of all at one time, can help reduce gas or diarrhoea.
The flakes and particles of fibre may irritate a sensitive bowel and exacerbate gut symptoms such as:
- Bloating.
- Diarrhoea.
- Distension.
- Pain.
The benefit obtained from foodstuffs may vary from person to person, and while there is clear health benefits to be obtained by the inclusion of soluble and insoluble fibre in the diet those with a sensitive bowel may find that a general rule regarding the inclusion of fibre in their diet is not suitable for them.
Resistant starch -
Resistant starch is associated with;
- Lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
- Promotion of "good" bacteria.
- Suppression of "bad" bacteria and their toxic products.
- Promotion of bowel regularity.
- In a meal it is associated with less fat storage after that meal.
Resistant starch is especially associated with one type of short chain fatty acid, called butyrate, which is protective of colon cells and associated with less genetic damage. Short chain fatty acids are the colon cell's main energy source. Butyrate is the most important one. Butyrate has been shown to increase wound healing and to reduce inflammation in the small intestine. It is thought that butyrate induces enzymes to promote healing of the intestinal lining
Resistant starch is associated with more mineral absorption, especially calcium and magnesium.
Maintaining a food diary and uncovering personal food triggers is an essential health tool.
Too much fibre may interfere with the absorption of minerals such as iron, zinc,
magnesium, and calcium. However, this effect usually does not cause too much concern
because high-
Transit Time
Proper digestion requires coordinated movements of the stomach and intestines to mix food with digestive enzymes, to stir the nutrients so they approach the intestinal wall for absorption into the body, and to propel the intestinal contents through the digestive tract. This movement of the walls of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and their contents is known as gastrointestinal motility.
- There is considerable normal variability among healthy people in transit times through different sections of the gatrointestinal tract.
- The time required for material to move through the digestive tube is significantly affected by the composition of the meal.
- Transit time is influenced by such factors as psychological stress and even gender and reproductive status.
The time taken for food or other ingested objects to transit through the gastrointestinal tract varies depending on many factors, but roughly, it takes 2.5 to 3 hours after meal for 50% of stomach contents to empty into the intestines. Total emptying of the stomach takes 4 to 5 hours. Subsequently, 50% emptying of the small intestine takes 2.5 to 3 hours. Finally, transit through the colon takes 30 to 40 hours.
- Colorado State University > Gastrointestinal Transit: How Long Does It Take? Last updated on May 27, 2006. Author: R. Bowen Camilleri M, Colemont LJ, Phillips SF, etc. Human gastric emptying and colonic filling of solids characterized by a new method. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 257:284, 1989.
- Charles F, Camilleri M, Phillips SF, etc. Scintigraphy of the whole gut: clinical evaluation of transit disorders. Mayo Clin Proc 70:113, 1995.
- Degen LP and Phillips SF. Variability of gastrointestinal transit in healthy women and men. Gut 39:299, 1996.
- Iwanaga Y, Wen J, Thollander MS, etc. Scintigraphic measurement of regional gastrointestinal transit in the dog. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 275:904, 1998.
- Metcalf AM, Phillips SF, Zinsmeister AR, etc. Simplified assessment of segmental colonic transit. Gastroenterology 92:40, 1987.
- Proano M, Camilleri M, Phillips SF, etc. Transit of solids through the human colon: regional quantification in the unprepared bowel. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 258:856, 1990.
- Marlett JA, McBurney MI, Slavin JL. Position of the American Dietetic Association:
Health Implications of Dietary Fiber. J Am Diet Assoc. 2002; 102(7): 993-
1000. - Howarth NC, Huang TT, Roberts SB, McCrory MA. Dietary Fiber and Fat Are Associated
with Excess Weight in Young and Middle-
Aged US Adults. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105(9):1365- 72. - Seki T, Nagase R, Torimitsu M, et al. Insoluble fiber is a major constituent responsible
for lowering the post-
prandial blood glucose concentration in the pre- germinated brown rice. Biol PharmBull. 2005 Aug;28(8):1539- 41. - Burleson K. Coronary Artery Disease. In: Rakel D, ed. Rakel: Integrative Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2007:chap 28.
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- Underbakke G, McBride P. Dyslipidemias. In: Rakel D, ed. Rakel: Integrative Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2007:chap 40.
- Hanaway P. Irritable Bowel Syndrome. In: Rakel D, ed. Rakel: Integrative Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2007:chap 41.