Add These Fiber-Rich Foods to Your Diet to Fight Inflammation Body Ecology grain-like seeds are a formidable source of fiber. Leaky gut is one well-known sign that the intestinal wall is inflamed. Fiber doesn’t just scour the intestinal walls or improve heart health. As a nutrient, the most important role of dietary fiber is that it feeds intestinal bacteria. Once gut bacteria feast on fiber, they produce a fatty acid called butyrate. In the same way that we release carbon dioxide when we inhale oxygen, butyrate is a byproduct of well-fed gut bacteria. The Human Body Works in Partnership with Gut Bacteria Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid. The richest source of butyrate is butter. But as it turns out, your intestinal cells fully rely on gut bacteria to produce butyrate. In fact, their very survival depends on it. Butyrate is an important source of energy for intestinal cells. Without butyrate—or with only a short supply—intestinal cells die. This may explain why the highest concentration of butyrate in the human body is found in the gut. Butyrate does more than feed intestinal cells. It also controls inflammation and stops the development of cancer. Butyrate, Inflammation, and Leaky Gut belly Gut bacteria that feed on fiber produce a fatty acid called butyrate as a byproduct. Butyrate can improve digestive health, control inflammation, and stop cancer development. Researchers at Yale University speculate that good gut bacteria release molecules—like butyrate—that create tolerance and control the release of pro-inflammatory messages. This tolerance stops the immune system from attacking good gut bacteria. It also reduces inflammation. Researchers have found that the gut is less likely to suffer from inflammatory disorders in the presence of butyrate. This includes chronic inflammatory conditions, such as Crohn’s disease or colitis. Inflammation in the gut is more common than you may think. Leaky gut is one well-known sign that the intestinal wall is inflamed. Fatty acids—like butyrate—help keep the gut wall healthy and sealed. Animal studies show that butyrate both suppresses the development of leaky gut and improves the intestinal barrier. This may be because butyrate actually encourages the immune system to make specialized immune cells that reduce inflammation. The Truth Behind Heart Healthy Fiber Mainstream media will tell you that fiber is heart healthy because a diet rich in fiber is associated with lower signs of metabolic stress. This includes: Lower LDL (or bad) cholesterol levels Lower blood sugar Lower blood pressure Reduced risk of heart disease Reduced risk of diabetes Lower rates of obesity In light of these associations, many people believe fiber is good for the heart. Many physicians will tell you that insoluble fiber moves through the gut, untouched. They might tell you that fiber can bind to cholesterol, preventing its absorption. Or that fiber is filling.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Feb 2014 18:00:01 +0000