A team of scientists at the University of Nottingham found that changing psyllium’s dietary fiber structure helps increase the number of beneficial gut bacteria and reduce gas production. This discovery may help people with fiber intolerance and intestinal irritation. The results of the researchers’ work have been published. magazine Food Hydrocolloids.
Fiber is an essential part of any diet and can cause intestinal discomfort for many people. Therefore, it is important to find an alternative that will not cause side effects,” the scientists explained.
The authors studied psyllium, a fiber obtained from the seed coat of Plantago ovata (psillium ovata). They are used in a number of products such as yogurt or baked goods.
You can get a powder from psyllium fiber (it is actively used in intestinal problems) or you can get a jelly-like material with a high polysaccharide content. Scientists analyzed the effect of both forms on the human intestinal microflora. As it turned out, mucus containing polysaccharides leads to the production of fatty acids, which positively affects intestinal health and systemic metabolism.
“The mucus was more effective than the powder. This shows that there are new opportunities to obtain fibrous materials with clear clinical benefits. We will continue to do research in this area in the future,” said the scientists.