Berries, a Great Source of Dietary Fiber Part 3 of 3 Fermentable Berry Fibers Give Health Benefits Evidence from Medical Research |
  A wolfberry ("goji") plantation in the Ningxia region of north-central China Dried goji berries have 10% dietary fiber per unit weight Courtesy of Rich Nature Nutraceutical Labs, Seattle ** [NOTE: for additional background and published literature, see Wikipedia links with this color] ** Summary from Part 2 (click) Prebiotic fibers in berries and all fiber-rich plant foods are fermented naturally in the lower digestive tract colon, yielding short-chain fatty acids with numerous health effects. Click here for a good review of the human digestive tract and its functions Berries are great sources of soluble, fermentable fibers that provide this health-promoting prebiotic function during fermentation. The main fatty acids are called butyric, acetic, propionic, and valeric acids
Health effects of short-chain fatty acids 7 health benefits were listed in Part 2. Let's focus on 3: 1. Contribute to lowering blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels by inhibiting absorption of dietary saturated fats and signaling reduced production of cholesterol by the liver (important for cardiovascular health -- this is the claim allowed on labels of high-fiber foods by the US FDA, see Part 1) 2. Promote colon health by raising acidity levels that improve nutrient absorption 3. Act as anti-inflammatory mediators (important for health of the colon)
"Soluble" fibers ( fermentable or viscous fibers), are a key to health mostly unknown to the consumer public, yet have been a focus of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for many years
What the FDA Would Like Us To Know About Soluble Dietary Fibers
To read a lengthy FDA report on fiber, click here Simple message for consumers: add foods rich in soluble fiber to your daily diet Examples of these foods? Oat, barley and psyllium cereals; all berries and legumes (beans)
Medical advances in fiber research: What's next? Cancer Evidence: Prebiotic fibers reduce mechanisms at the origin of colon cancer (laboratory evidence only) How? As acids, short-chain fatty acids lower pH (increase acidity) in the colon, inhibiting formation of polyps and tumor cells Publications: 1) Non-digestible oligosaccharides with prebiotic properties 2) Inulin-type fructans and reduction in colon cancer risk: review of experimental and human data Inflammation Evidence: Fermentable fibers contribute to lower incidence of inflammatory conditions in the large intestine How? Short-chain fatty acids reduce activity of pro-inflammatory mediators in the colon Publications: 1) The effects of diet on inflammation: emphasis on the
2) Dietary fiber, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease
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