Definitions for "Dietary fibre"
Indigestible material. Insoluble fibre, found in wheat ban and whole grains, passes through the digestive system quickly. This promotes regularity and helps reduce the risk of colon irregularities or diverticulosis, a type of colon disease. Research shows foods containing insoluble fibre may also help reduce the risk of colon and breast cancer when part of a low-fat diet. Soluble fibre is found in pasta. Studies indicate foods containing soluble fibre may help decrease cholesterol levels, help reduce the risk of heart disease and help control blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
Dietary fibres, sometimes also called roughage or nowadays replaced by the term non-starch polysaccharides (NSP), are only found in plants and consist mainly of cellulose, as in plants' cell walls. Furthermore, they are indigestible by the human digestive tract. Dietary fibres can further be categorised into two groups, i.e. soluble and insoluble dietary fibres. Soluble dietary fibres (SDF), e.g. gums, are suggested to lower the levels of total and "bad" cholesterol (LDL), whereas insoluble dietary fibres (IDF), such as cellulose, mainly serve as a bulk agent to help prevent constipation and keep the large intestine healthy.
Dietary fibre is the part of plant foods that humans cannot digest. Fibre is found in foods such as grains, cereals, legumes, seeds, nuts, vegetables and fruit. Fibre helps to promote and maintain good health. Eating foods that contain fibre every day is important to maintain the health of your digestive system. The most recent scientific evidence suggests that fibre can help in the treatment and prevention of certain chronic diseases, such as heart disease, certain types of cancer and type 2 diabetes.
A mixture of complex carbohydrates the products of which are used by the body for energy.