Enerex Fibre Rx

Digestive Aids > Fibre Supplements

Dietary fibres are vegetable substances not digestible by the enzymes of the alimentary tract. They are derived from plant cell walls and from the non-structural polsaccharides in natural foods. Fibres include cellulose and hemicelluloses, gums, pectin's and lignin's.

Dietary Fibre is an integral part of a healthy diet. Fibre plays an essential role in maintaining the health of the digestive system, and adequate fibre in the diet has significant value in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and other ailments. Fibre cleanses the digestive tract and enhances its function. Metabolised by intestinal bacteria into substances that prevent colon cancer, fibre dilutes and speeds the removal of carcinogens and other toxins in foods so that they spare the delicate lining of the GI tract. Fibre helps achieve optimal blood sugar control and cholesterol levels by slowing digestion and maximising cholesterol excretion.

Fibre comes in two basic forms: soluble (it dissolves in water) and insoluble ( it does not dissolve in water). Soluble fibres include gums, pectin's, mucilage's and some hemicelluloses. Foods high in soluble fibre include oats and oat bran, barley, psyllium seeds, flaxmeal, beans, peas, carrots, citrus fruits and apples. Soluble fibre has been shown to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and stabilise blood sugar by slowing the absorption of sugar from the digestive tract. Soluble fibre is useful for diabetics since it helps lower insulin and triglyceride levels.

Insoluble fibres include cellulose, lignin and some hemicelluloses, and are found in foods such as wheat bran, corn bran, celery, and the skins of fruits and root vegetables. Insoluble fibre helps to reduce the risk of intestinal cancers, and it helps prevent constipation and diverticulitis by absorbing toxins from foods, and reducing the production of bacterial toxins in the GI tract. Most plant foods supply both the soluble and insoluble forms, and the diet should include a balance of both forms to get the different benefits they provide.