Dubai, United Arab Emirates – In recent years, dietary fiber has become the “new protein.”
It is added to foods in abundance to nourish the gut microbiome and promote health.
A study, according to Science Alert, citing the journal Nutrition, conducted on laboratory mice and published in 2024, suggests that not all fiber supplements are equally beneficial.
A type of fiber, called beta-glucan, which is abundant in oats and barley, can regulate blood sugar and aid weight loss in mice fed a high-fat diet.
Researchers at the Universities of Arizona and Vienna discovered that beta-glucan reduces fat and body weight in mice within 18 weeks.
Other fibers they tested, including wheat dextrin, pectin, resistant starch, and cellulose, showed little effect, although the composition of the mice’s microbiome changed significantly compared to mice that were not fed fiber supplements.
Biomedicine
“Fiber is important and beneficial, but the problem is that there are so many types of it,” explained biomedical scientist Frank Duca of the University of Arizona.
He added that the study aimed to “know the type of fiber that is most beneficial for losing weight and improving blood glucose balance, so that we can educate society, the consumer, and the agricultural sector.”
In addition, dietary fiber is the main source of energy for bacteria that live in the intestines.
The recommended daily amount of fiber is estimated at 25-30 grams.
Beta Glucan only
Biomedical scientist Elizabeth Howard of the University of Arizona and her colleagues wrote that only beta-glucan increases the number of elybacterium bacteria in the intestines of mice.
Other studies in mice have linked these bacteria to weight loss.
She noted that 10 weeks earlier, mice fed beta-glucan showed lower body weight and body fat percentage compared to mice fed other forms of fiber.
The researchers reported that more research is needed before these findings can be applied to humans.
But the results suggest that some fibers may be more suitable for weight loss and insulin control than others.
