We Always Knew Fiber Was Healthy, But Now We Finally Understand Why

Pexels

For the longest time, we’ve been told that fiber is one of the keys to a truly healthy diet, but when we asked why exactly it’s so important, all we received in return were a few shoulder shrugs. No one really seemed to understand why fiber provides the benefits it does — like protecting us from heart disease, diabetes and even arthritis — until now.

New research stemming from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden suggests that fiber, rather than directly delivering its many benefits to our bodies, serves as the food for all of the good bacteria in our digestive system, which then keep both our intestines and immune system in good, working order. So when your fiber intake is on the low end, your weight, blood sugar, insulin sensitivity and colon health are all negatively impacted.

To explore this idea further, another experiment out of Georgia State University recently observed what happens to the mouse microbiome when you put the animals on a high-fat diet with varying levels of fiber. After examining the mice feces to assess the gut bacteria of each test subject, the scientists found that when the mice consumed low amounts of fiber, common bacterial species became rare while the more rare species appeared more common. Not to mention, the mouse population on the low-fiber diet shrank tenfold compared to those eating more fiber.

Pexels

The size of the intestines of the low-fiber diet mice in the study decreased dramatically as well, and their mucus-like stomach lining got thinner and thinner. Because this change allowed the bacteria to get abnormally close to the intestinal walls, it triggered an immune response that led to severe inflammation. Within days, the mice also gained weight and experienced higher blood sugar levels.

On the other end of the spectrum, mice fed a moderate-fiber, high-fat diet had much better gut health, from their mucus linings to their abilities to stave off weight gain. And those that were dosed with fiber-feeding bacteria while on a high-fat diet fared even better, proving the most stable of all the groups.

So there you have it: Fiber ultimately serves as a source of food that fuels the countless bacteria thriving in our guts that keep us healthy and balanced. When they have it, they provide us with the critical mucus layer that keeps our digestive tracts and immune systems in sync. When they don’t, all hell breaks loose, and we risk chronic inflammation as well as developing metabolic syndrome.

Now, who’s hungry?