Why does fiber help digestion?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: Adds bulk and speeds transit
Adds bulk and speeds transit ✓ — Correct! Dietary fiber is plant material our bodies can't digest. Insoluble fiber (from wheat bran, vegetables) adds bulk to stool and speeds intestinal transit, preventing constipation. Soluble fiber (from oats, beans) absorbs water forming gel, slowing digestion and helping you feel full. Fiber also feeds beneficial gut bacteria, which produce healthy short-chain fatty acids!
Kills harmful bacteria — Wrong. While fiber does support beneficial gut bacteria which can outcompete harmful ones, fiber itself doesn't kill bacteria. Its main digestive benefit is mechanical - adding bulk and regulating transit time through the intestines.
Absorbs excess stomach acid — Wrong. Fiber doesn't absorb stomach acid. Its benefits are in the intestines - adding bulk to stool, regulating transit time, feeding beneficial bacteria, and helping maintain healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
More Food & Nutrition questions
- Parmigiano Reggiano is made with milk, salt, and rennet only, so why can older pieces taste more savory or spicy without extra seasoning?
- Why does a Parmigiano Reggiano wheel wait until at least 12 months for the official selection mark instead of being fully approved when it is molded?
- How can Parmigiano Reggiano keep developing flavor after its starter bacteria have done their early acid-making job?
- A young Parmigiano Reggiano can taste milky, while older wheels lean nutty, spicy, or broth-like; what pushes the flavor away from plain dairy?
- Why does aging Parmigiano Reggiano from 12 months to 36 months not matter much for removing lactose?
- Why can older Parmigiano Reggiano turn crumblier and grainier instead of simply becoming a harder block?