Dietary fiber

Itrefers to a group of
substances in plant foods which
cannot be completely broken
down by human digestive
enzymes.
This includes Lignin content is
highest in fruits, particularly
strawberries and peaches,
whereas pectin levels are highest
in citrus fruits and apples.
Originally it was thought
that dietary fibre was
completely indigestible
and did not provide any
energy.
An Overview
The amount of total carbohydrates in a serving of food
corresponds to the sum of
starches,
sugars and
dietary fiber
These different components can have different effect on
your blood sugar levels and overall health but are all
defined as carbohydrates.
• Grains such as bread, rice, pasta, breakfast cereals and
baked goods, and legumes such as beans and lentils
contain significant amounts of carbohydrates per
serving.
• Fruits, some dairy and sugar-containing foods also
provide considerable amounts of carbohydrates.
Dietary fibre
Dietary fibre was known as ‘roughage’.
It was originally thought that dietary fibre
was
• not digestible and
• did not provide any energy.
• It is now known fibre is fermented in the
large intestine by gut bacteria to provide
a small amount of energy (2kcal per
gram).
Starch is a polysaccharide composed of glucose
monomers and accounts for ~ 60% of the carbohydrates
consumed by humans
•Starch can exist in one of two forms –
•linear chains (amylose) or branched chains
(amylopectin)

The digestion of starch is initiated by salivary amylase in the

mouth and continued by pancreatic amylase in the intestines
•Starch digestion by amylase does not occur in the stomach as
the pH is unsuitable for amylase activity (optimal pH ~ 7)
Amylase digests amylose into
•maltose subunits (disaccharide) and
•digests amylopectin into branched chains called dextrins
•Both maltose and dextrin are digested by enzymes (maltase)
which are fixed to the epithelial lining of the small intestine
•The hydrolysis of maltose / dextrin results in the formation of
glucose monomers
Types of dietary fibers
There’s two different
types of dietary fibers as
defined by their chemical
properties.  soluble and
insoluble.
Soluble Fiber: soluble
meaning it dissolves in
water and
Insoluble fiber: meaning
it doesn’t dissolve in
water. 
This characterization is
important because the
ability of the fiber to
dissolve in water can
contribute to its
functionality in the body.
Sources of dietary fibre

Soluble fiber is found in

foods such as oat bran,
barley, nuts, seeds,
beans, lentils, peas, and
some fruits and
vegetables.
It is found in foods such
as wheat bran,
vegetables and whole
grains.
Functions of Fibre in the diet
The different types of dietary fibre have
different functions in the body, which include:
• Helping to prevent the risk of
diverticulitis(Diverticula are small, bulging
pouches that can form in the lining of your
digestive system) and bowel cancer;
• The reduction of the rise of blood glucose
after a meal;
• The association with feelings of fullness to
help control food intake, as foods which are
high in fibre often are low in energy density.
How much fibre do we need?
In July 2015, the Scientific Advisory
Committee on Nutrition (SACN)
recommended an increase in the
population’s fibre intake to an average of
30g fibre per day for adults. No age group
in the UK is achieving this; average intakes
in adults are around 18g fibre.
For children, SACN provided the following
recommended intakes: 15g/day (age 2-5);
20g/day (age 5-11); 25g/day (age 11-16);
30g/day (age 16-18).
Fibre on food labels
The European regulations on
nutrition and health claims states
that for a product to claim to be a
‘source’ of fibre it must contain a
minimum of 3g of fibre per 100g,
or a minimum of 1.5g of fibre per
100kcal.

For a product to claim to be ‘high

fibre’ it must contain at least 6g of
fibre per 100g, or at least 3g of
fibre per 100kcal.
How many ways can you think of to
increase fiber in your diet?
Some examples include:
 Have a bowl of wholegrain
breakfast cereals, served
with a handful of dried
fruit.
 Switch from white to whole
meal or granary bread.
 Add oats to fruit or
vegetable toppings.
 Serve a side salad with a
sandwich or pasta dish.
 Add beans and pulses to
soups.
Types of Soluble or Sources Health Benefits
Fiber Insoluble
Psyllium Soluble Extracted from rushed seeds or Helps lower cholesterol and prevent
husks of plantago ovata plant. Used constipation.
in supplements, fiber drinks, and
added to foods.

Resistant starch Soluble Starch in plant cell walls naturally
found in unripened bananas,
oatmeal, and legumes. Also
extracted and added to processed
foods to boost fiber.
May help manage weight by
increasing fullness; helps control
blood sugars. It increases insulin
sensitivity and may reduce the risk
of diabetes.

Wheat dextrin Soluble Extracted from wheat starch, and Helps lower cholesterol (LDL and
widely used to add fiber in total cholesterol),and may lower
processed foods. blood sugar and reduce risk for
heart disease; more research is
needed. Avoid if you have celiac
disease or are gluten intolerant.
Types of Fiber Soluble or Sources Health Benefits
Insoluble
Cellulose, some Insoluble Naturally found in nuts, whole wheat, "Nature's laxative": Reduces 
hemicellulose whole grains, bran, seeds, edible constipation, lowers risk of 
brown rice. diverticulitis, can help with weight
loss.
Inulin oligofructose Soluble Extracted from onions and byproducts May increase "good" bacteria in the
of sugar production from beets. gut and enhance immune function.
Added to processed foods to boost
fiber.

Lignin Insoluble Found naturally in flax, and some Good for heart health and possibly
vegetables. immune function. Use caution if you
have celiac disease or are gluten
intolerant.

Mucilage, beta- Soluble Naturally found in oats, oat bran, Helps lower bad LDL cholesterol,
glucans beans, peas, barley, flaxseed, berries, reduces risk of coronary heart disease
soybeans, bananas, oranges, apples, and type 2 diabetes. Use caution if you
carrots. have celiac disease or are gluten
intolerant.

Pectin and gums Soluble (some pectins Naturally found in fruits, berries, and Slows the passage of food through the
can be insoluble) seeds. Also extracted from citrus peel intestinal GI tract, helps lower blood
and other plants boost fiber in cholesterol.
processed foods.
Common starches and Resistant starch contd
Common starches (like corn starch)
are highly digestible by our innate
enzymes.
•Resistant starch(RS), so called because
it opposes to hydrolytic action of α-
amylase and is not absorbed in the
intestine; nevertheless, afterward it may
be fermented by colonic micro-flora,
acting as dietary fiber.
•Theoretically, amylose should be easier to
digest because it does not have the steric
hindrance caused by the branch points.
• However, amylose can form a very
compact physical structure, which
inhibits digestion. Therefore, amylopectin is
actually digested better than amylose.
• Resistant starch 
 resistant starch has a specific
physical structure that is
different from a regular
starch, and thus it’s un-
digestible and delivers a
unique functionality compared
to other dietary fiber sources. 
 Starch is about 70% amylopectin
by weight, though the amount
varies depending on the source
 (higher in medium-grain rice to
 100% in glutinous rice
 lower in long-grain rice, and
several varieties of potato such
as.
 Common starches and
Resistant starch
 Because resistant starch doesn’t
contribute to our blood glucose like
regular digestible carbohydrates do. 
Type 1: Is found in grains, seeds and
legumes and resists digestion because
it's bound within the fibrous cell walls. 
Type 2: Is found in some starchy
foods, including raw potatoes and
green (unripe) bananas.
 Consuming too many digestible
carbohydrates over time can lead to
blood sugar abnormalities like insulin
resistance.
lactose, sucrose
Unique functions of Resistant starch
One of the more unique
functionalities is its ability to
get slowly fermented
throughout our gut, which not
only ensures
• we are having a comfortable
digestion process,
• The millions of bacteria that
live in our gut love to
metabolize (or ferment)
whatever food substrates did
not get digested and
absorbed in the preceding
small intestine. 
Benefits of Resistant Starch
contd…
The bacteria slowly ferment the
resistant starch and as a result butyrate
release short chain fatty acids
like
butyrate,
propionate,
and
acetate.
Benefits of Resistant Starch
• Propionate and
• acetate tend to leave the digestive
tract and travel to other areas of
the body where they can
participate in mechanisms like
regulating our glucose utilization
and forming healthy cholesterol. 
• The production of these short
chain fatty acids also has more of
a local effect that has downstream
benefits for the gut as a whole. 
• The short chain fatty acids will
lower the pH of the colon, which
allows for proper nutrient
absorption and ensures that there
is a healthy balance of good
bacteria and bad bacteria in our
gut.
Summary
Dietary fibre can be found in cereal foods, including bread,
beans, lentils, fruit & vegetables.

It cannot be broken down by human digestive enzymes.

SACN have recommended average intake for adults is 30g

per day, but average intakes are much lower.

A low fibre intake is associated with constipation and some

gut diseases.
A high fibre diet can help reduce cholesterol, reduce the risk
of diabetes and can help protect against becoming
overweight.