After trials with volunteers who took three different types of high-fiber dietary supplements in succession, it turned out that those who had consumed the least fiber before the study benefited the most from the supplements. It didn’t matter which one it was.
Fiber keeps you full for longer and supports the intestines in digestion, but they also have other advantages: Fiber, which the human intestine cannot process itself but is digested by bacteria, maintains a healthy intestinal flora. The intestinal bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids from the roughage, which protect once morest intestinal diseases, colon cancer and even obesity. These include butyrate, which improves the gut’s resistance to pathogens, reduces inflammation, and promotes gut cell health.
“We didn’t see much of a difference between the fiber supplements we tested. They appear to be interchangeable. Regardless of which supplement you choose, it appears that your microbiome will thank you with more butyrate,” said Prof. Lawrence David of Duke University in Durham.
In a second study, the team found that gut bacteria responded to dietary fiber within a day, significantly altering bacterial community and activity in the gut. So switching to more fiber quickly brings health benefits, although you don’t need to worry regarding the nature of them: “It can just be a high-fiber food. People who were already eating a lot of fiber, which comes from plants like beans, leafy greens, and citrus fruits, already had very healthy microbiomes,” said Dr. Zack Holmes from the research team.
Dietary fibers can be found in whole grain products, wheat or oat bran, psyllium husks or linseed, legumes, nuts, fruit and vegetables, especially cabbage, carrots and potatoes.
