Dietary fiber is the "remnants of plant cell walls that are resistant to digestion by the alimentary enzymes of man. It comprises various polysaccharides and lignins."[ 1]
Classification [ edit ]
Diagram of a grain.
Soluble fiber [ edit ]
Soluble fiber is viscous. It is in oats, oat ß-glucan, psyllium (ispaghula), barley, soybeans, dried beans and peas, and citrus.[ 2] Soluble fiber may affect cholesterol absorption more than insoluble fiber does.[ 3]
Insoluble fiber [ edit ]
Insoluble fiber is not viscous. Insoluble fiber may bind water and thus reduces transit time in the colon. It is in whole wheat and many vegetables.[ 2]
Medical uses [ edit ]
Consuming dietary fiber, especially the bran, may reduce the risk of diabetes mellitus type 2 .[ 4]
Consuming dietary fiber may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer , especially in men.[ 5] [ 6] However, this association is not consistent and not confirmed.[ 7]
Consuming fiber, especially soluble fiber[ 8] [ 9] with psyllium being better than bran[ 10] , may treat irritable bowel syndrome [ 11] , chronic constipation [ 12] , and hypercholesterolemia [ 13] .
References [ edit ]
↑ Anonymous (2025), Dietary fiber (English). Medical Subject Headings . U.S. National Library of Medicine .
↑ 2.0 2.1 Nutrition Fact Sheet: Dietary Fiber, Nutrition, Feinberg School of Medicine .
↑ Whole Grains and Fiber (English) . Retrieved on 2010-06-01.
↑ de Munter JS, Hu FB, Spiegelman D, Franz M, van Dam RM (August 2007). "Whole grain, bran, and germ intake and risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study and systematic review" . PLoS Med. 4 (8): e261. DOI :10.1371/journal.pmed.0040261 . PMID 17760498 . Research Blogging .
↑ Nomura AM, Hankin JH, Henderson BE, et al (September 2007). "Dietary fiber and colorectal cancer risk: the multiethnic cohort study" . Cancer Causes Control 18 (7): 753–64. DOI :10.1007/s10552-007-9018-4 . PMID 17557210 . Research Blogging .
↑ Jacobs ET, Lanza E, Alberts DS, et al (February 2006). "Fiber, sex, and colorectal adenoma: results of a pooled analysis" . Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 83 (2): 343–9. PMID 16469993 . [e ]
↑ Park Y, Hunter DJ, Spiegelman D, et al (December 2005). "Dietary fiber intake and risk of colorectal cancer: a pooled analysis of prospective cohort studies" . JAMA 294 (22): 2849–57. DOI :10.1001/jama.294.22.2849 . PMID 16352792 . Research Blogging .
↑ Moayyedi P, Quigley EM, Lacy BE, Lembo AJ, Saito YA, Schiller LR et al. (2014). "The Effect of Fiber Supplementation on Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis." . Am J Gastroenterol . DOI :10.1038/ajg.2014.195 . PMID 25070054 . Research Blogging .
↑ Bijkerk CJ, Muris JW, Knottnerus JA, Hoes AW, de Wit NJ (February 2004). "Systematic review: the role of different types of fibre in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome" . Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. 19 (3): 245–51. PMID 14984370 . [e ]
↑ (2008) Brit Med J. PMID 19008265
↑ Mertz HR (November 2003). "Irritable bowel syndrome" . N. Engl. J. Med. 349 (22): 2136–46. DOI :10.1056/NEJMra035579 . PMID 14645642 . Research Blogging .
↑ Lembo A, Camilleri M (October 2003). "Chronic constipation" . N. Engl. J. Med. 349 (14): 1360–8. DOI :10.1056/NEJMra020995 . PMID 14523145 . Research Blogging .
↑ Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Marchie A (May 2005). "Diet and cholesterol reduction" . Ann. Intern. Med. 142 (9): 793–5. PMID 15867412 . [e ]