Beyond Insoluble Dietary Fiber: Bioactive Compounds in Plant Foods

Consumption of plant foods, including whole grains, vegetables, fruits, pulses, nuts, and seeds, is linked to improved health outcomes. Dietary fiber a nutrient in foods that associated with outcomes, lower risk chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers. Different fibers deliver different benefits based on their physiochemical properties (solubility, viscosity) physiological effects (fermentability). Additionally, contain more than dietary are rich sources bioactives, which also provide benefits. The concept the solubility was introduced 1970s method explain effects, an idea no longer accepted. Dividing total (TDF) into insoluble (IDF) soluble (SDF) analytical distinction, recent work finds IDF intake wide range beyond increased stool weight. We have focused content bioactives foods. Ancestral humans might consumed much 100 g daily, delivered may be important protective compounds disease prevention. Isolating add human diets limited usefulness unless included isolated supplement.