Hello and this week we're

welcome to the Nutrition Diva Podcast. I'm your host

Monica Reinagal and this week we're talking about fiber. Now wait don't go away fiber may seem like a somewhat

frumpy nutrient but it is actually one of the hottest topics in nutrition right

now and that's partly because fiber plays such a big role in the health and

function of the gut microbiota and anything to do with the microbiome is

trending. The way we define and categorize fiber has also gotten a complete overhaul in recent years.

We used to think of fiber simply as roughage, the parts of the plant that our digestive system could not break down and convert into energy.

And then fiber was further broken down into soluble and insoluble fiber.

Soluble fiber, like that in Oatbrand, was thought to act like a sponge, soaking up cholesterol and

keeping it out of your bloodstream. Insoluble fiber, like that in wheat-brand, was thought to work more

like a broom, helping to push waste through the system.

But now we recognize that fiber does a lot more than just soak stuff up and move stuff out.

And the list of benefits attributed to fiber has been expanded to include

reduced inflammation, enhanced immune function,

appetite and weight control, nutrient absorption better blood sugar

control and type 2 diabetes prevention and a lot of this happens via the

microbiome the fiber in our diet affects the number and the variety of beneficial bacteria in our gut.

Suffice it to say that the fiber story is far more complex and interesting than we ever imagined.

It's not just about getting more fiber anymore

because different types of fiber have different effects.

So if you're looking for a specific benefit,

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