Tuesday, July 26, 2016

New Fiber Study (feat. Raw Potato Starch!)

A great study out of Denmark last week. Nineteen people between 39 and 75, all with metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.), were given a low-fiber or a high-fiber diet.  Guess what? Those on the high-fiber diet got healthier...the tl/dr (too long/don't read) version is in the conclusion, here:

In conclusion, the results of our study support the hypothesis that high intake of both RS and AX [wheat/rye fiber] is capable of changing the intestinal microbiota and SCFA production in subjects with MetS in contrast with a low-fibre diet (WSD). Most distinctly, Bifidobacterium was clearly enriched by the HCD [High-fiber diet], which was in strong agreement with the increased faecal acetate concentration. Also, dysbiotic changes observed during the WSD [low fiber] emphasise the need for balanced diets, including fiber from various sources.

In other words...We are sorely missing fiber.  What kind and how much is the million dollar question.  But these researchers seem to like Raw Potato Starch, Hi-Maize Corn Starch, and wheat fiber.  Let's discuss.