The Influence of Nutrients on Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Table 1
Composition, functions, and sources of dietary fibre according to the division into fractions [9].
Dietary fibre fraction
Composition
Main functions
Dietary sources
Water-soluble
(i) β-Glucans (ii) Pectin (iii) Mucilage (iv) Gums (v) Certain hemicelluloses
(i) Slows the passage time of the chyme (ii) Slows down the absorption of glucose into the blood (iii) Increases the excretion of fats and cholesterol in the faeces (iv) Nutrient for bacteria
Certain fruits and vegetables, dried legumes
Insoluble in water
(i) Cellulose (ii) Certain hemicelluloses (iii) Lignins
(i) Binds water, which increases the volume of chyme in the intestine (ii) Mechanically irritates the wall of the colon (iii) Binds excess hydrochloric acid in the stomach