Restoring Your Intestinal Flora by Christopher Vasey

Author:Christopher Vasey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: HOLISTIC HEALTH
Publisher: Inner Traditions/Bear & Company
Published: 2021-03-12T00:00:00+00:00

Take Note!

It is important not to confuse prebiotics for probiotics. Probiotics are bacteria with activity that is beneficial for our health. Prebiotics are the foods that nourish these bacteria.

TWO KINDS OF FIBER

Prebiotics are plant fibers, but this doesn't mean that all the fibers contained in the foods we eat are prebiotics, nor that foods high in fiber are necessarily a rich source of prebiotics. In fact, a distinction is made between two kinds of fibers.

Insoluble Fibers

Insoluble fibers are those fibers that form the protective husk of cereal grains (the pericarp or bran) or the substance that makes the plant structure stiff, such as the stem, for example. These fibers are in the form of cellulose. They are hard and coarse, and too much insoluble fiber irritates the intestinal walls.

Insoluble fibers are formed of chains of glucose that can include anywhere from 10,000 to 250,000 units. Because of their length and their insoluble nature, these fibers cannot be broken down into smaller particles, meaning they cannot be digested by the bacteria of fermentation. The bacteria cannot get any nourishment from these fibers, which is why insoluble fibers are not considered prebiotics. Their role in the intestines is to provide roughage that contributes to a healthy intestinal transit.

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