Food sources of dietary fiber have traditionally been divided according to whether they provide soluble or insoluble fiber. Plant foods contain both types of fiber in varying amounts according to the fiber characteristics of viscosity and fermentability.[1][5] Advantages of consuming fiber depend upon which type of fiber is consumed and which benefits may result in the gastrointestinal system.[6] Bulking fibers – such as cellulose and hemicellulose (including psyllium) – absorb and hold water, promoting bowel movement regularity.[7] Viscous fibers – such as beta-glucan and psyllium – thicken the fecal mass.[7] Fermentable fibers – such as resistant starch, xanthan gum, and inulin – feed the bacteria and microbiota of the large intestine and are metabolized to yield short-chain fatty acids, which have diverse roles in gastrointestinal health.[8][9][10]
Insoluble fiber – which does not dissolve in water – is inert to digestive enzymes in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Examples are wheat bran, cellulose, and lignin. Coarsely ground insoluble fiber triggers the secretion of mucus in the large intestine providing bulking. However, finely ground insoluble fiber does not have this effect and instead can cause a constipation.[2] Some forms of insoluble fiber, such as resistant starches, can be fermented in the colon.[16]
^ abc"Dietary fibre". British Nutrition Foundation. 2018. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
^ abcdefgh"Fiber". Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. March 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
^Ostrowski, Matthew P.; La Rosa, Sabina Leanti; Kunath, Benoit J.; Robertson, Andrew; et al. (April 2022). "Mechanistic insights into consumption of the food additive xanthan gum by the human gut microbiota". Nature Microbiology. 7 (4): 556–569. doi:10.1038/s41564-022-01093-0. hdl:11250/3003739. PMID35365790. S2CID247866305.