Dietary Fiber In Health Disease

Dietary fiber is a topic that has burgeoned from an esoteric interest of a few research laboratories to a subject of international interest. This growth has been helped by the intense public interest in the potential benefits of adding fiber to the diet. The general popularity of fiber may have been helped by the perception that, for once, medicine was saying "do" instead of "don't. " There has been a proliferation of excellent scientific books on dietary fiber. Why another? The Spring Symposium on Dietary Fiber in Health and Disease was an outgrowth of our belief that informal discussion among peers-a discussion in which fact is freely interlaced with speculation-was the most effective way to organize our knowledge and direct our thinking. The normal growth progression of a discipline inc1udes its branching into many areas. Soon the expertise, which was once general, is broken into many specialties. Intercommunication becoIlles increasingly difficult. It was our intent to provide a forum that would expose its participants to developments in areas related to their research interest. Free exchange under these conditions could not help but broaden everyone's knowl edge and expand his horizons. We feel that this symposium was singularly successful in achieving its goals. It resulted in a free and friendly exchange of knowledge and ideas. It helped to establish seeds for future collaborations based on mutual interest and friendship. The proceedings of this conference will serve as yet another basic resource in the fiber field.

Adequate fiber in the diet is essential for maintaining gastrointestinal and cardiovascular health and for weight management and glycemic control. But a majority of people in developed countries fall short of their recommended daily intake. Designed for product developers, nutritionists, dietitians, and regulatory agencies, Dietary Fiber and Health discusses critical findings from the Ninth Vahouny Fiber Symposium about the significance of dietary fiber and ways to get more fiber in our diet. Steeped in research and the latest data from international experts, the book explores a range of topics related to this essential nutrient, including: The relationship between fiber and weight management, gastrointestinal health, heart disease, cancer, and glucose metabolism Prebiotic effects of fiber and the characteristics and modulation of healthy flora The health benefits of novel fibers such as inulin The characteristics of maltodextrin, Fibersol-2, and low viscous fiber on satiety, glycemia, microbiota, and other properties The impact of the new definition of dietary fiber published by the Codex Alimentarius Commission The properties and immunological impact of Galactooligosaccharide and research on its effect on colitis Resistant starch and associated compounds Oat, rye, barley, and other fibers Regulatory issues, including GRAS notice procedure It is imperative that food product developers formulate foods with fiber and that health professionals recommend foods high in fiber to improve public health. The contributors to this volume provide a survey of not only the impact of fiber on human health, but also the myriad opportunities for fiber ingredients to be incorporated into foods for the benefit of consumers.

Dietary Fiber for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: Fiber’s Interaction between Gut Micoflora, Sugar Metabolism, Weight Control and Cardiovascular Health compiles the most up-to-date research discoveries to provide a timely and scientific rationale for the significant impact of a fiber rich diet for the prevention of heart disease. By focusing on the science behind how fiber, both soluble and insoluble can lead to lower rates of heart disease, this important reference will educate researchers, cardiologists, medical providers and students on how to improve patients’ hearts via a fiber rich diet. Coverage includes the known mechanisms of how fiber works to reduce insulin resistance, control weight, reduce cholesterol by binding with bile, maintain stable glucose levels and influence gut microflora. Explains how fiber affects cardiovascular disease through the influence on insulin resistance, reduction of cholesterol, change in gut microflora and in weight control Provides thorough coverage of the effect of fiber on arrhythmias and valvular abnormalities Includes information on the indirect relationship between constipation and heart disease

Dietary fibre is now recognized as a vital component of good daily nutrition, yet its properties and specific role in the digestive system are still being investigated. The involvement of government agencies, the food industry and health professionals - as well as public interest - make this global overview, Dietary Fibre - A Component of Food, an important contribution to the literature on the subject. The cooperation of experts from different research centers and their peer review of each other's papers enhance the value of the book, since it presents consolidated views and objective assessments on such key issues as fibre analysis and mineral bioavailability. The seventeen chapters are grouped into three sections. The background papers deal with biochemical and analytical characteristics: e.g. the physico-chemical properties of food polysaccharides and bacterial fermentation in the colon. The papers on physiological effects deal with the physiological function of dietary fibre throughout the gastrointestinal tract: its influence on protein, lipid and carbohydrate digestion and absorption and its role in bile acid metabolism and faecal bulking. The third section of papers focuses on the prevention and treatment of disease: gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemias.

Discusses the health benefits of dietary fiber; lipids and nutrient metabolism; fiber and cancer; fiber's nutritional effects; and fiber effects/in vivo and in vitro laboratory models. New areas explored in this conference include the energy value of fiber; the interactions of fiber with other dietary components such as fat and protein; and the roles of materials other than fiber which are present in a high fiber diet.

Diet and Health examines the many complex issues concerning diet and its role in increasing or decreasing the risk of chronic disease. It proposes dietary recommendations for reducing the risk of the major diseases and causes of death today: atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (including heart attack and stroke), cancer, high blood pressure, obesity, osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus, liver disease, and dental caries.