Research Summaries

Eight Benefits of Prebiotic Dietary Fibers Summarized in 2018 Review

February 2, 2018 — The open access article “Health Effects and Sources of Prebiotic Dietary Fiber” was published in Current Developments in Nutrition. Following a brief review of the various definitions of prebiotic, the review article provides a summary of eight health benefits of prebiotic dietary fiber including the following: Effect on hind gut bacteria … Continue reading

February 2, 2018 For Health Professionals, GI Health - Microbiome, Research, Research Summaries

Review published regarding dietary fiber in the GI tract and physiological effect

The article “The behavior of dietary fiber in the gastrointestinal tract determines its physiological effect” was published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. Capuano reviews the various definitions used to describe dietary fiber and notes they all refer to carbohydrate polymers that are not digested or absorbed in the upper human intestine but … Continue reading

January 16, 2018 Research Summaries

Prebiotic Fiber Benefits Described by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics

In August 2017, the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) published a consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics that includes consideration of some non-digestible carbohydrates.  A review of the definition of prebiotics is offered with the evidence that these compounds can manipulate the host microbiome to benefit the host. Research … Continue reading

October 10, 2017 Research Summaries

Consensus Definition of Prebiotics Includes Role For Some Dietary Fibers

The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) has published a consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics that includes consideration of some non-digestible carbohydrates.  A review of the definition of prebiotics is offered with the evidence that these compounds can manipulate the host microbiome to benefit the host. Research continues to … Continue reading

October 10, 2017 Research Summaries

Appetite and Energy Intake Review

For your information, the article “A review of the characteristics of dietary fibers relevant to appetite and energy intake outcomes in human intervention trials” was published in the September issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The authors summarize research to potentially elucidate properties of dietary fibers that affect appetite and energy intake. The … Continue reading

September 14, 2017 Research Summaries

Study Reports Whole Grain and Dietary Fiber in American Diets

For your information, Kranz, et al., authored the study “Whole Grains Contribute Only a Small Proportion of Dietary Fiber to the U.S. Diet” published in Nutrients. The study evaluated data from the 2003–2004 to 2009–2010 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to examine the relationship between whole grain (WG) foods and dietary fiber … Continue reading

August 2, 2017 Research Summaries

Prospective Study Explores The Association Of Dietary Fiber Intake And Risk Of Breast Cancer

Narita, et al., describe the findings of their study in an article titled “Dietary fiber intake and risk of breast cancer defined by estrogen and progesterone receptor status: the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study” published in Cancer Causes & Control. The researchers explored possible associations between dietary fiber intake and risk of breast cancer … Continue reading

March 23, 2017 Research Summaries

Dietary Fiber May Reduce the Risk of Pancreatic Cancer

The article “Dietary fiber intake is inversely associated with risk of pancreatic cancer: a meta-analysis” was published in the January 2017 issue of the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Mao, et al., conducted a meta-analysis of epidemiological studies to review evidence of the association between dietary fiber intake and the risk of pancreatic cancer … Continue reading

January 26, 2017 Research Summaries

Possible Interactions between Dietary Fiber and Fat and Risk of Colorectal Cancer

The study “The Interaction between Dietary Fiber and Fat and Risk of Colorectal Cancer in the Women’s Health Initiative” by Navarro et al. explored possible associations between fiber (soluble, pectins, insoluble) and fatty acids (omega-3, DHA+EPA, and omega-6) and the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Researchers extrapolated data from the women’s health initiative (WHI), a … Continue reading

November 30, 2016 Research Summaries

A Review of Physiological Function and Health Effects of Polydextrose

A review entitled “Polydextrose: Physiological Function and Effects on Health” by Ramiro do Carmo et al. was published in Nutrients. The review examines the literature regarding the health effects of polydextrose (PDX) supplementation. PDX is not hydrolyzed by digestive enzymes in the small intestine and is therefore gradually and partially fermented by colonic microbiota with … Continue reading

September 8, 2016 Research Summaries

Study Suggests That Understanding of Dietary Fiber is Low Among Consumers Globally

For your information, “Knowledge about dietary fibre: a fibre study framework” by Guiné, et al., was published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. The articles describes findings from a survey that 6,000 individuals from 10 countries (Argentina, Croatia, Egypt, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Macedonia, Portugal, Romania and Turkey) completed regarding their knowledge of … Continue reading

June 6, 2016 Research Summaries

Animal Study Shows Possible Mechanism for Fiber’s Role in Reducing Appetite

ATLANTA (September 8, 2014) — Researchers find possible mechanism to explain why fiber is associated with reduced appetite, according to a new study by Frost et al. published in Nature Communications. In the study, the researchers supplemented high-fat diets of mice with a highly digestible fiber, inulin, or a poorly digested fiber, cellulose. The feces … Continue reading

September 8, 2014 Research Summaries

Increased Fiber Intake Beneficial for Reducing Heart Attack Risk After Previous Heart Attack

ATLANTA (September 8, 2014) — Increasing your intake of fiber after a heart attack may reduce your risk of a subsequent heart attack, according to a recent study by Li et al. The study, published in the British Medical Journal, reviewed data from two large studies, the Nurses’ Health Study, which followed 121,700 U.S. female nurses, and … Continue reading

September 8, 2014 Research Summaries

Study in Mice Shows Benefit of Fiber to Reduce Allergic Reactions

ATLANTA (April 30, 2014) — Previous studies have shown the benefit of fiber on digestive health, but according to a study published in Nature Medicine, consumption of fiber may also help with reducing inflammation caused by allergic reaction. In the study, researchers examined the effect of dietary fiber on inflammation response in mice fed either … Continue reading

April 30, 2014 Research Summaries

Review Finds Increased Fiber Intake Reduces Heart Attacks and Other Cardiovascular Events

ATLANTA (February 12, 2014) —  A recent review has found that an additional seven grams per day of dietary fiber can lower risk of heart disease by 9%. The findings appeared online December 19 in the British Medical Journal. The authors reviewed more than 20 studies from 1990 to 2013 to determine the effect of dietary fiber … Continue reading

February 12, 2014 Research Summaries

Increased Fiber Intake May Protect Against Risk of Stroke

ATLANTA (August 1, 2013) — A study published in Stroke found that people who ate more dietary fiber were less like to have a stroke. In a study entitled “Dietary Fiber Intake and Risk of First Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”, authors Threapleton et al looked at past literature to determine if there was any association between total … Continue reading

August 1, 2013 Research Summaries

Fiber-Rich Diet Linked to Longevity

People who consumed higher amounts of fiber, particularly from grains, had a significantly lower risk of dying over a nine-year period compared to those who consumed lower amounts of fiber, according to a new National Institutes of Health study. Fiber, found in whole grains, beans, nuts, vegetables and fruits aids the body with bowel movements, … Continue reading

March 3, 2011 Research Summaries