Therapeutic Benefits and Dietary Restrictions of Fiber Intake: A State of the Art Review

Abstract

Throughout history, malnutrition and deficiency diseases have been a problem for our planet’s population. A balanced diet significantly influences everyone’s health, and fiber intake appears to play a more important role than previously thought. The natural dietary fibers are a category of carbohydrates in the constitution of plants that are not completely digested in the human intestine. High-fiber foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, have consistently been highly beneficial to health and effectively reduced the risk of disease. Although the mode of action of dietary fiber in the consumer body is not fully understood, nutritionists and health professionals unanimously recognize the therapeutic benefits. This paper presents the fiber consumption in different countries, the metabolism of fiber and the range of health benefits associated with fiber intake. In addition, the influence of fiber intake on the intestinal microbiome, metabolic diseases (obesity and diabetes), neurological aspects, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases and cancer prevention are discussed. Finally, dietary restrictions and excess fiber are addressed, which can cause episodes of diarrhea and dehydration and increase the likelihood of bloating and flatulence or even bowel obstruction. However, extensive studies are needed regarding the composition and required amount of fiber in relation to the metabolism of saprotrophic microorganisms from the enteral level and the benefits of the various pathologies with which they can be correlated.

The Relationship among Bowel [18]F-FDG PET Uptake, Pathological Complete Response, and Eating Habits in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

“…An unhealthy diet, rich in processed meat and low in fibers, has been associated with alterations in the gut microbiome and barrier function of the colonic epithelium [ 41 ]. In particular, some evidence indicated that fiber is more effective than the Mediterranean diet on influencing the gut microbiota composition [ 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 ]. In vivo studies have shown that disruption of the healthy gut microbiota has direct effects on the immune system by triggering a pro-inflammatory environment controlled by specific subpopulations of the immune system (e.g., natural killer cells) [ 47 ].…”

Pilot Study to Estimate Dietary Fiber Intake in Adults Residing in Chile

“…The protocol of this study was approved by the Scientific Ethics Committee of the Universidad San Sebastian (No. [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. All participants were fully informed and expressed their willingness to participate by signing the informed consent form.…”

“…The food sources of SDF are apples, pears, citrus fruits, carrots, broccoli, peas, cucumber, celery and wheat bran [5]. SDF forms colloid solutions in the intestine, slows digestion and causes a prolonged feeling of satiety, while FDI accelerates intestinal transit, increasing stool volume, acting as a bulking agent and laxative and its food sources are nuts, legumes, whole wheat, barley and tubers [6]. Considering the above, DF is related to the promotion of mitigating effects on cholesterol and glucose levels [7,8], the latter being related to the onset of type 2 diabetes [9,10], obesity, colon cancer [11,12], and cardiovascular diseases [13,14]; it takes part in all the Disclaimer/Publisher's Note: The statements, opinions, and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s).…”

Pilot Study to Estimate Dietary Fiber Intake in Adults Residing in Chile

“…SDF forms colloid solutions in the intestine, slows digestion, and causes a prolonged feeling of satiety, while IDF accelerates intestinal transit, increases stool volume, and acts as a bulking agent and laxative. Its food sources are nuts, legumes, whole wheat, barley, and tubers [ 6 ]. Considering the above, DF is related to the promotion of the mitigating effects on cholesterol and glucose levels [ 7 , 8 ], with the latter being related to the onset of type 2 diabetes [ 9 , 10 ], obesity, colon cancer [ 11 , 12 ], and cardiovascular diseases [ 13 , 14 ]; it takes part in all of the functions of the digestive system, from mastication to the evacuation of feces [ 15 ], and in general, health benefits provided by DF include improvements in gut health (increase in fecal loading, softening of feces, decrease in fecal pH, and fermentation) [ 16 ], glycemic and insulinemic control, cholesterol reduction (total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol) [ 9 ], weight control (reduction of caloric intake and increase in satiety) [ 17 ], and an effect on the metabolic function of the different microbial species that colonize the gastrointestinal tract, to improve human health and potentially prevent or treat diseases in general [ 18 ].…”