What is dietary fiber?

Dietary fiber is a class of food polymers resistant to digestive enzymes and found in cereals, fruit and vegetables.  

What nutrients can dietary fiber rich foods provide?

Dietary fiber and whole grains, fruit/vegetables provide a range of bioactive nutrients including resistant starches, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. In contrast, meat and dairy products do not provide such a wide range of nutrients.

What are the types of dietary fiber available?

Dietary fiber can be water soluble or water-insoluble including arabinoxylan,  bran, cellulose, β-glucan,  inulin, pectin, and resistant starch.    Both water soluble and insoluble dietary fiber are beneficial.

What diseases or health conditions can dietary fiber and fiber rich foods help prevent or treat?

Dietary fiber affects functions of large intestine and has many important physiological effects on glucose and lipid metabolism, and mineral bioavailability.  Dietary fiber protects against a variety of diseases and health conditions including gastrointestinal disease, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhoids, colon cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease, diverticulitis, duodenal ulcer, obesity, diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease/events. (David Liu, PHD)

Otles S, Ozgoz S.  Health effects of dietary fiber.  Acta Sci Pol Technol Aliment. 2014 Apr-Jun;13(2):191-202.