Berkeley Limketkai

There are nuanced differences between them that then actually...

leads to a differential effect on the types of bacteria that they promote and in terms of the types of molecules that they tend to be converted into.

And there are also some types of fibers that when consumed in disease states may actually be detrimental to the body or actually be pro-inflammatory paradoxically.

Yeah, so soluble fibers are the types of fibers that, as the name implies, it dissolves in liquid.

And so they can actually help form a gel, the stool, or help kind of produce a stool mass.

And these are more helpful for individuals who tend to have looser stools or more diarrhea.

By contrast, insoluble fibers are not as well digested as they pass through the gastrointestinal tract.

They tend to draw more liquid into the intestines, thus leading to a more liquefication of the stools.

And so these are more helpful for individuals who tend to have a more constipation-like bowel habit.

So the term prebiotic and dietary fibers are actually almost synonymous.

One could even theoretically consider them interchangeably.

There are some nuanced differences, but the predominant form of prebiotics actually come in the form of plant fibers.

Interestingly, not all plant fibers are dietary because there are leaves and trees outside your building or your home that you do not necessarily... That we cannot eat.

Exactly, exactly.

In general, yes.

Yeah, one of the best ways to increase fiber in their diet is actually to increase the proportion of fruits and vegetables that they incorporate into their meals.

Okay.

And the reason for this is because on one hand, there is the benefit of actually getting the fiber in these fiber-rich foods.

But at the same time, these particular food types actually also have these molecules called polyphenols that have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-cancer effects.

In addition to that, we would actually also recommend eating the colors of the rainbow.