Abstract
The health benefits of dietary fiber have long been appreciated. Higher intakes of dietary fiber are linked to less cardiovascular disease and fiber plays a role in gut health, with many effective laxatives actually isolated fiber sources. Higher intakes of fiber are linked to lower body weights. Only polysaccharides were included in dietary fiber originally, but more recent definitions have included oligosaccharides as dietary fiber, not based on their chemical measurement as dietary fiber by the accepted total dietary fiber (TDF) method, but on their physiological effects. Inulin, fructo-oligosaccharides, and other oligosaccharides are included as fiber in food labels in the US. Additionally, oligosaccharides are the best known “prebiotics”, “a selectively fermented ingredient that allows specific changes, both in the composition and/or activity in the gastrointestinal microflora that confers benefits upon host well-bring and health.” To date, all known and suspected prebiotics are carbohydrate compounds, primarily oligosaccharides, known to resist digestion in the human small intestine and reach the colon where they are fermented by the gut microflora. Studies have provided evidence that inulin and oligofructose (OF), lactulose, and resistant starch (RS) meet all aspects of the definition, including the stimulation of Bifidobacterium, a beneficial bacterial genus. Other isolated carbohydrates and carbohydrate-containing foods, including galactooligosaccharides (GOS), transgalactooligosaccharides (TOS), polydextrose, wheat dextrin, acacia gum, psyllium, banana, whole grain wheat, and whole grain corn also have prebiotic effects.
Highlights
Not all fibers have the same effect on tolerance; fructo-oligosaccharides can cause symptoms with low doses (10 g) [29] while other fibers, such as polydextrose and resistant starch have been consumed at doses up to 50 g without symptoms [30]
As ―a non-viable food component that confers a health benefit on the host associated with modulation of the microbiota.‖ At the Technical meeting, a group of international experts agreed on guidelines and recommended criteria and methodology for systematically approaching the evaluation of prebiotics for safe use in food
Dietary fibers exhibit a diverse range of physiochemical properties and corresponding physiological effects
Summary
The term ―dietary fiber‖ was coined in 1953, but the health benefits of high fiber foods have been long appreciated [1]. Dietary fiber was researched throughout the 1930s, and forgotten until the 1970s. Denis Burkitt is usually credited with re-popularizing the idea that dietary fiber protects against development of Western diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, and obesity [1]. Research continues on defining fiber, measuring fiber, and determining the health benefits of fiber consumption. Prospective, cohort studies show clearly that high fiber intakes are linked to less cardiovascular disease. Dietary fiber is listed on the Nutrition Facts panel on food products and nutrient content claims are allowed for good (2.5 g fiber) and excellent (5.0 g fiber) sources of fiber
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