Dietary fibres include

Dietary fibre Dietary' fibre consists of unabsorbable cell w-all and other constutents of vegetable food like cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose, gums, pecns, glycoproteins and other polysaccharides. Dietary' fibre absorbs water in the intesne, swells, increase bulk of stood by increasing water content of faeces and soen it, decreases transit me by facilitang colonic transit. “Thepresence of fibre shortens the transit mes and increases the stool bulk” Dietary' fibre is of two types: Soluble fibres: It absorbs upto 15 mes its weight in water as it moves through GIT, producing soer stools. Its good sources are oat, flaxseeds, peas, beans, apple, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium. Insoluble fibre: It promotes movement of material through digesve system and increases stool bulk. Its good sources are wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts and vegetables. Advantages of fibres Dietry fibre contribute bulk by absorbing water 1-15 mes of its own weight and thus hastens the passage through the gut, decreasing the transient me. By increasing the bulk, it provides a larger volume of indigesble material to colon. Dietary fibre is known to be associated with reduced incidence of coronary artery diseases. The mechanism of its acon is aributed to its binding to bile salts and prevenng its absorpon and thus reducing cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) level in circulaon. The fibre, parcularly the gum and pecn, when ingested with a diet, are reported to reduce postprandial glucose level in blood → helpful in DM. Dietary fibre reduce the incidence of diverculis, conspaon, hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome and colon cance