4.4 Fibre
As we outlined in the last section, plant fibre is made up largely of cellulose, but also contains many other complex plant structural polysaccharides. We do not digest fibre; rather it passes through the digestive tract relatively unchanged. In doing so however it does have an important action. Insoluble fibre provides bulk to our intestinal contents and soluble fibre has a water-holding capacity keeping our intestinal contents and stools moist. Plant fibre contains a mix of insoluble and soluble fibre.
The provision of bulk by consuming enough fibre in the diet (current Government health guidelines suggest minimum of 12-18g per day for UK adults) is very important to allow the proper action of the intestinal wall as it works physically upon the food, mixing it, and moving the contents through the intestinal system. Without this bulk we become constipated or have a slower rate of transit (i.e. do not poo so regularly!). Partially digested food that take longer than is healthy to travel through the digestive tract may lead towards a state called putrefactive fermentation, where protein rich foods and other digestive health changes may disrupt the balance of gut bacteria, described as the state of dysbiosis. This has health implications for the digestive tract and throughout the body, more or which will be discussed in Module 7 on gut health.
- 1.1 Introduction to the Cell
- 1.2 Cell Energy
- 1.3 The Energy Content of Food
- 1.4 How Does the Body Release Energy from Food?
- 1.5 Enzymes
- 1.6 The Overwhelming Importance of Cell Energy
- 1.7 The Vitality of Cells & Tissues
- 1.8 The Key Role of Blood Glucose
- 1.9 What Key Factors Are Most Likely to Erode Good Vitality?
- 1.10 Enzyme Poisons
- 1.11 Recommended Reading & References
- 5.1 Micro & Macro-minerals
- 5.2 Cellular Functions of Minerals – Enzyme Activators
- 5.3 Dietary Reference Values (DRVs)
- 5.4 Iron
- 5.5 Zinc
- 5.6 Manganese
- 5.7 Copper
- 5.8 Chromium
- 5.9 Selenium
- 5.10 Molybdenum
- 5.11 Iodine
- 5.12 Silicon
- 5.13 Boron
- 5.14 Potassium
- 5.15 Sodium
- 5.16 Magnesium
- 5.17 Calcium
- 5.18 Guidance on Micro-mineral Supplementation
- 5.19 Toxic Metals
- 5.20 Recommended Reading & References
- 6.1 Vitamins Defined
- 6.2 Cellular Functions of Vitamins – Enzyme & Gene Activators & Antioxidants
- 6.3 Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
- 6.4 Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
- 6.5 Vitamin B3 (Niacin & Nicotinamide)
- 6.6 Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
- 6.7 Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
- 6.8 Vitamin B12
- 6.9 Folic Acid
- 6.10 Biotin
- 6.11 Vitamin A (Retinol & Beta-Carotene)
- 6.12 Vitamin C
- 6.13 Vitamin D
- 6.14 Vitamin E
- 6.15 Vitamin K
- 6.16 Choline & Inositol
- 6.17 Food Sources of Vitamins
- 6.18 Recommended Reading & References
- 7.1 Anatomy & Physiology of the Digestive Tract
- 7.2 Gut Bacteria Overview
- 7.3 Beneficial & Pathogenic Gut Bacteria & Health
- 7.4 Benefits of a Healthy Colon
- 7.5 Factors That Influence Gut Bacteria
- 7.6 Gut Bacteria & Detoxification
- 7.7 The Reciprocal Effects of Gut Bacteria
- 7.8 The Gut Bacteria from Infancy to Adulthood
- 7.9 Candida Albicans
- 7.10 Gut Bacteria Supplements
- 7.11 Recommended Reading & References
- 8.1 The Effect of Food on Body pH
- 8.2 Measuring Acidity in the Diet
- 8.3 Relationship Between Elimination & pH
- 8.4 Measuring Acid Load in Food
- 8.5 High Alkaline Load & Eliminative Foods
- 8.6 High Acid Load & Suppressive Foods
- 8.7 Milk & Dairy Products
- 8.8 Wheat & Rye
- 8.9 Other Grains
- 8.10 Vegetables
- 8.11 Salt & Sugar
- 8.12 Recommended Reading & References
- 10.1 Allergy Symptoms
- 10.2 Immediate Onset Allergy Versus Food Intolerances
- 10.3 Four Main Classes of Allergy
- 10.4 Theories of Allergy Causes
- 10.5 Allergy Tests & Their Limitations
- 10.6 Managing Allergies
- 10.7 Detoxification Support Management of Food Allergies
- 10.8 Allergies & Chronicity
- 10.9 The Concept of Neutralisation
- 10.10 The Allopathic Approach to Allergies
- 10.11 Recommended Reading & References
- 12.1 General Guidelines for Using Supplements
- 12.2 Diet Versus Supplements
- 12.3 Preparatory Stage: Optimising Eliminations
- 12.4 Importance of Mineral Supplementation
- 12.5 Understanding Supplement Bioavailability
- 12.6 Macromineral Supplements
- 12.7 Micromineral Supplements
- 12.8 Importance of Vitamin Supplementation
- 12.9 Multi-Nutrient Food Supplements
- 12.10 Nutrition Supplement Programmes
- 12.11 Recommended Reading & References