Fiber feeds “good” gut bacteria.
Some types of fiber may benefit your health. Including your gut microbiome, blood sugar, and the walls of your colon.
The bacteria that live in the human body outnumber the body’s cells 10 to 1. Bacteria live on the skin, in the mouth, and in the nose. But the great majority live in the gut, primarily the large intestine.
Five hundred to 1,000 different species of bacteria live in the intestine, totaling about 38 trillion cells. These gut bacteria are also known as the gut flora UFABET
This is not a bad thing. In fact, there is a mutually beneficial relationship between you and some of the bacteria that live in your digestive system.
You provide food, shelter, and a safe habitat for the bacteria. In return, they take care of some things that the human body cannot do on its own.
Of the many different kinds of bacteria, some are crucial for various aspects of your health. Including weight, blood sugar control, immune function, and even brain function.
You may wonder what this has to do with fiber. Just like any other organism, bacteria need to eat to get energy to survive and function.
The problem is that most carbs, proteins, and fats are absorbed into the bloodstream. Before they make it to the large intestine, leaving little for the gut flora.
This is where fiber comes in. Human cells don’t have the enzymes to digest fiber. So it reaches the large intestine relatively unchanged.
However, intestinal bacteria do have the enzymes to digest many of these fibers.
This is the most important reason that (some) dietary fibers are essential for health. They feed the “good” bacteria in the intestine, functioning as prebiotics.
In this way, they promote the growth of “good” gut bacteria, which can have various positive effects on health.
The friendly bacteria produce nutrients for the body, including short-chain fatty acids such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate, of which butyrate appears to be the most important.These short-chain fatty acids can feed the cells in the colon, leading to reduced gut inflammation and improvements in digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.
When the bacteria ferment the fiber, they also produce gases. This is why high fiber diets can cause flatulence and stomach discomfort in some people. These side effects usually go away with time as your body adjusts.