5 Types of Fiber with Almost ZERO Benefit (eat these instead)

Summary

This video delves into the fiber's role in gut health beyond just aiding digestion. It clarifies that while all fibers contribute to bowel movements, not all fibers are equally beneficial. The focus is on fibers' impact on butyrate and short-chain fatty acid production, crucial for a healthy microbiome. The video scrutinizes various fibers, from cellulose in lettuce to resistant starches, and their effects on gut bacteria. It also discusses how transit time influences fiber's benefits and suggests which fibers to prioritize for a thriving microbiome.

Takeaways

• 🌿 All types of fiber, including artichokes, romaine lettuce, and chia seeds, contribute to bowel movements by aiding in transit time.
• 🔍 The video emphasizes that not all fibers are equally beneficial outside of promoting regular bowel movements, focusing on their impact on butyrate and short-chain fatty acid production.
• 🌱 Cellulose, found in iceberg and romaine lettuce, is considered less beneficial due to its low butyrate production compared to other fibers.
• 🌾 Psyllium husk is recognized for its benefits in baking and as a filler, but it's noted as non-fermentable, meaning it doesn't feed the gut microbes as effectively as other fibers.
• 🔬 An in vitro study published in the Journal of Medicinal Foods compared different fibers' abilities to produce short-chain fatty acids, highlighting the importance of butyrate production.
• 🍠 Resistant starches, which are resistant to digestion, can be beneficial for gut health, but not all resistant starches produce the desired levels of butyrate.
• 🚫 High amylase starches, despite producing a significant amount of short-chain fatty acids, were found to have lower butyrate levels, suggesting they may not be as beneficial as initially thought.
• 🍄 Fructooligosaccharides and galactooligosaccharides, found in foods like onions and kidney beans, can decrease butyrate levels and are considered less beneficial for promoting butyrate-producing bacteria.
• ⏱ A study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that faster transit times through the gut can increase short-chain fatty acid production, suggesting that fiber intake can impact this process.
• 🍽️ Foods rich in inulin, such as artichokes, asparagus, and chia seeds, are recommended for their potential to promote butyrate-producing bacteria in the gut.

Q & A

What is the primary function of fiber in the diet as discussed in the video?

The primary function of fiber in the diet, as discussed in the video, is to aid in bowel movements or 'pooping'. All types of fiber, regardless of their specific properties, contribute to this basic function by affecting transit time.

Why is butyrate production significant in the context of fiber consumption?

Butyrate production is significant because it helps support the microbiome, aids in glucose metabolism, and assists with fatty acid utilization. It is a short-chain fatty acid that is particularly beneficial for gut health.

What is the role of cellulose as a fiber, and why might it be considered less beneficial?

Cellulose is an insoluble and non-fermentable fiber found in lettuce and other vegetables. It is considered less beneficial because it does not contribute much to butyrate production and does not feed the gut microbes effectively, thus providing minimal benefits beyond its structural role in plants.

How does the video describe the relationship between psyllium and short-chain fatty acid production?

The video explains that psyllium, despite being a soluble fiber, is non-fermentable, meaning it does not effectively feed the gut microbes and therefore does not contribute significantly to short-chain fatty acid production, particularly butyrate.

What is a synbiotic, and how does it relate to the discussion in the video?

A synbiotic is a combination of probiotics and prebiotic fibers that work together to support gut health. The video mentions a brand called 'seed' as an example of a synbiotic, highlighting its relevance to the discussion on fibers and gut health.

What is the significance of resistant starches in the context of the video?

Resistant starches are starches that are resistant to digestion and thus can be fermented by gut bacteria to produce short-chain fatty acids. However, not all resistant starches produce the desired butyrate, which is the primary focus of the video.

What are the implications of fructooligosaccharides and galactooligosaccharides on butyrate production?

Fructooligosaccharides and galactooligosaccharides can reduce butyrate levels by promoting the growth of bacteria that are not butyrate producers, such as bifidobacterium. This can lead to a decrease in the bacteria that do produce butyrate, thus affecting the balance of the gut microbiome.

How does transit time affect short-chain fatty acid production, as discussed in the video?

The video suggests that faster transit times, whether naturally occurring or pharmaceutically induced, lead to higher levels of short-chain fatty acids. This implies that the speed at which food moves through the gut can influence the efficiency of fiber fermentation and the production of beneficial compounds like butyrate.

What are some fibers that are recommended for their butyrate-producing capabilities, according to the video?

The video recommends fibers high in inulin, such as artichokes, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, chia seeds, and flax seeds, for their butyrate-producing capabilities.

Why might the video suggest caution when consuming high amylase starches?

The video suggests caution with high amylase starches because, despite producing a significant amount of short-chain fatty acids, they may not produce the desired butyrate. This could potentially feed bacteria that are not beneficial for gut health.

Outlines

00:00

🌿 Fiber's Role in Digestive Health

This paragraph discusses the basic function of fiber in promoting bowel movements, emphasizing that all types of fiber aid in digestion regardless of their specific characteristics. The speaker then transitions into a deeper exploration of fiber's impact on butyrate and short-chain fatty acid production, which are crucial for gut microbiome health and metabolic processes. The video introduces a sponsored brand, 'seed,' which offers a synbiotic product combining prebiotic fiber with probiotics, highlighting its relevance to the discussion on fiber and gut health.

05:01

🔬 In-Depth Analysis of Fiber Types

The second paragraph delves into the less beneficial aspects of certain fibers, such as cellulose and psyllium, in the context of short-chain fatty acid production. It contrasts these with the more advantageous resistant starches, which are known for their ability to feed the gut microbiome and promote the production of butyrate. The discussion is supported by research findings, including an in vitro study published in the Journal of Medicinal Foods, which compared the effectiveness of various fibers in producing butyrate. The paragraph also cautions against over-reliance on high amylase starches due to their potential to feed unwanted bacteria in the gut.

10:03

🍽️ Dietary Fibers and Their Impact on Microbiome

The final paragraph continues the examination of fiber's effects on gut health, focusing on fructo and galacto-oligosaccharides found in foods like onions, leeks, and beans. It discusses how these fibers, while not necessarily harmful, may not contribute positively to butyrate production due to their promotion of non-butyrate producing bacteria. The paragraph also touches on the importance of transit time in the gut, suggesting that faster transit times can enhance short-chain fatty acid production. The speaker concludes with recommendations for fibers that are more likely to support butyrate production, such as those found in artichokes, asparagus, and chia seeds.

Keywords

💡Fiber

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that cannot be digested by the human body. It is crucial for maintaining healthy digestion and bowel movements. In the video, fiber is discussed in the context of its role in promoting gut health and its varying effectiveness in contributing to the production of short-chain fatty acids, which are essential for gut microbiome health. The video emphasizes that not all fibers are equally beneficial, with some being more effective at promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria.

💡Butyrate

Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that is produced when certain types of fiber are fermented by gut bacteria. It is considered beneficial for gut health because it serves as a primary energy source for colon cells and has anti-inflammatory properties. The video discusses the importance of butyrate production as a key indicator of the value of different types of fiber, with the goal of identifying which fibers are the most effective at promoting butyrate-producing bacteria.

💡Insoluble Fiber

Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and adds bulk to the stool, promoting regular bowel movements. Examples include cellulose, found in vegetables like iceberg lettuce, which the video suggests is not particularly beneficial due to its low fermentability and thus limited contribution to short-chain fatty acid production.

💡Soluble Fiber

Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance, which can help slow down digestion and lower blood sugar levels. Psyllium, mentioned in the video, is an example of soluble fiber that is beneficial for bowel movements but not as effective at promoting butyrate production as other types of fiber.

💡Fermentable Fiber

Fermentable fiber is a type of soluble fiber that can be broken down by gut bacteria, leading to the production of short-chain fatty acids. The video emphasizes the importance of fermentable fibers for gut health, as they nourish beneficial bacteria and contribute to the production of butyrate.

💡Non-fermentable Fiber

Non-fermentable fiber, such as cellulose, does not break down in the digestive system and thus does not contribute to the production of short-chain fatty acids. The video discusses how non-fermentable fibers, while they may aid in digestion, do not provide the same gut health benefits as fermentable fibers.

💡Resistant Starch

Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion in the small intestine and reaches the large intestine intact, where it can be fermented by gut bacteria. The video discusses how different types of resistant starch can vary in their ability to produce butyrate, with high amylase starches producing less butyrate than other types, despite their overall effectiveness in promoting short-chain fatty acid production.

💡Prebiotics

Prebiotics are non-digestible food components that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. The video mentions the importance of prebiotics in the context of synbiotics, which combine probiotics with prebiotics to support gut health. The video's sponsor, Seed, is highlighted as an example of a synbiotic product.

💡Probiotics

Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when consumed in adequate amounts, provide health benefits by improving the gut microbiota. The video touches on the relationship between probiotics and fiber, emphasizing the importance of a balanced diet that includes both to support a healthy gut microbiome.

💡Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs)

Short chain fatty acids are a group of fatty acids with short carbon chains, including acetate, propionate, and butyrate. They are produced when gut bacteria ferment dietary fiber. The video focuses on SCFAs as a key indicator of gut health, with butyrate being particularly important for colon cell health and overall gut function.

💡Microbiome

The microbiome refers to the collective genomes of the microorganisms living in a particular environment, in this case, the human gut. The video discusses how different types of fiber can influence the gut microbiome by affecting which bacteria thrive, with a focus on promoting the growth of butyrate-producing bacteria for optimal gut health.

Highlights

All fibers contribute to bowel movements regardless of type.

Fiber's role in butyrate and short-chain fatty acid production is crucial for gut health.

The relationship between probiotics and fiber is essential for gut health.

SEED is a synbiotic brand that combines prebiotic fiber with probiotics.

Cellulose, found in iceberg and romaine lettuce, is less beneficial as a fiber.

Psyllium husk is great for increasing stool bulk but not for short-chain fatty acid production.

In vitro study compared seven different fibers for short-chain fatty acid production.

Methylcellulose produced less butyrate than glucose, indicating lower effectiveness as a fiber.

Resistant starches are known for good short-chain fatty acid production but not all are equal.

High amylase starch produced the most short-chain fatty acids but less butyrate.

Fructooligosaccharides and galactooligosaccharides can reduce butyrate levels.

Bifidobacterium, increased by certain fibers, is not a butyrate producer.

Transit time through the gut can significantly affect short-chain fatty acid levels.

Faster transit times are associated with higher short-chain fatty acid content.

Onions, leeks, and certain beans are not considered beneficial fibers for butyrate production.

Artichokes, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, chia seeds, and flax seeds are recommended for their fiber content.

Transcripts

all fibers make you poop that's the cool

thing it doesn't matter if you're eating

an artichoke or if you're not on romaine

lettuce or if you're just chowing down

on a bunch of chia seeds they're all

going to contribute to helping you poop

okay but that is the basics of fiber

that is the simple basics what i want to

address in this video is what fibers are

really not that amazing not that

beneficial outside of the whole pooping

conversation because that conversation

is just about transit time and insoluble

soluble fermentable non-fermentable

viscous non-viscous it doesn't matter

what kind of fiber they're all going to

help you poop okay

but we have to look at the very big

picture and the big equation which is

how do these fibers actually contribute

to butyrate and short chain fatty acid

production which essentially for the

long and the short of it is that's

what's going to help our microbiome

that's what's going to help us

metabolize things that's going to help

us with glucose metabolism with fatty

acid utilization that's what really

matters because they all make it poop so

anyhow let's dive in

[Music]

now when we're talking about the world

of the microbiome people automatically

think oh just probiotics okay well

there's this relationship between

probiotics and fiber that is very very

important and obviously we kind of touch

on that with other videos but people ask

if there is a recommended probiotic that

i like so i wanted to mention today's

sponsor which is a brand called seed

they are down below in the description i

figured it's very relevant for today's

video so they are a synbiotic which

means they have prebiotic fiber and the

probiotic strains in there so very

unique and very interesting stuff so

that link is down below which will save

you a nice little chunk of change if you

want to check them out so very unique

probiotics the one that i use daily and

again what i would personally recommend

but totally up to you so that links down

below and a big thank you to seed for

the sponsorship on today's video so the

first one that's kind of a waste

cellulose cellulose is an insoluble

fiber and non-fermentable okay now i

have some research to back this up but

cellulose is basically like iceberg

lettuce okay it's it's a fiber that's

just not getting you much okay and it's

gonna be in romaine lettuce too it's in

just a lot of just it's also in brussels

sprouts and things like that but those

have other fibers counteract like if you

just look at lettuce and like iceberg

romaine lettuce lots of cellulose it's

just what gives structure celery is a

lot of cellulose too but of course

celery has other things in it

point is is that

lettuce iceberg lettuce romaine lettuce

probably not the greatest thing to

consume okay the other one that's in

combination with that in this particular

study which we're going to talk about is

cilium now you may be thinking thomas

you've done videos talking about the

benefits of psyllium no don't get me

wrong i like psyllium okay but when it

comes down to short chain fatty acid

production it is considered a soluble

fiber but it's non-fermentable so what

that means is that it has all the

benefits of a soluble fiber it draws

water into it and it swells but it's

non-fermentable which means that it does

not actually

ferment and feed the gut fermentable

means it's feeding the little microbes

in our gut so psyllium phenomenal for

baking phenomenal as a just great filler

that actually has a benefit phenomenal

for drawing water into the colon

phenomenal for transit time amazing for

potentially like modulating the

absorption of certain fats so don't get

me wrong anyway let's get into the

research on this one as to why the

journal of medicinal foods had published

an in vitro study because in vivo

studies are really hard with like short

chain fatty acids in the microbiome okay

it compared seven different kinds of

fibers and it wanted to see what is

going to yield the highest short chain

fatty acid production what is ultimately

the best fiber in the world of butyrate

producers which we'll talk about well

took a look at psyllium it took a look

at methyl cellulose took a look at

indigestible dextrin it took a look at

two different kinds of

guar gums and then it took a look at

polydextrin and then it took a look at

something called arabinogalactin which

is just a different kind of fiber all

these kinds of fibers you could see on a

label if you went to the grocery store

and you looked on the back you would see

that you'll see polydextrin sometimes

you'll see those kinds of things anyway

things that you could recognize okay so

what they did is they took feces from

the consumption of these fibers and this

is really kind of grody and they let it

ferment for 24 hours that sounds like

the worst possible thing in the world i

would hate to be the person in that room

anyway so they let the feces ferment for

24 hours associated with these bacterias

then they were able to measure the gases

to see which ones got the most short

chain fatty acids very interesting stuff

methylcellulose

so cellulose ended up producing less

butyrate than glucose

so the actual short-chain fatty acid

production butyrate the main one we

really focus on was literally less than

pure glucose and it's a fiber okay now

silly was interesting it did produce

less butyrate than the other fibers but

at least it produced more than glucose

okay but it did produce less acetate

than glucose does that really matter

honestly it doesn't so much with

psyllium because cilium we know is just

like pure roughage the benefit that we

actually want from fiber is the butyrate

the main short chain fatty acid i'm

going to say this again the main short

chain fatty acid that we want is

butyrate you'll hear me talk about

butyrate producers you'll hear

microbiome research talk about butyrate

producers because we want bacteria that

produce butyrate so the fact that

cellulose produce less butyrate than

glucose which isn't even a fiber is just

dumbfounding to me it doesn't mean it's

worthless well it kind of does it

doesn't mean plants are bad let's just

put it that way okay moving into the

next one we have to talk resistant

starches now these are going to sound

like some pretty foreign greek names but

i promise you if you start looking on

labels you will see them they do exist

they're called resistant starches and

what's funny is in the world of

resistant starches

they are notorious for being good short

chain fatty acid producers the whole

idea of a resistant starch is it is a

starch that is resistant to digestion

therefore when it gets into our gut the

microbiome has a chance to feed on it so

what happens when the microbiome feeds

on it they feed on it and they produce

short chain fatty acids so all resistant

starches are good right so all resistant

starches produce the same kind of things

right

wrong they may all produce short chain

fatty acids but they may not be

producing the right kinds of things

right so let's break this down with a

cool study so there's a study that's

published in the journal nutrition and

cancer okay and it looked at different

kinds of resistant starches in this case

they gave rats because once again it's

difficult in humans they gave rats a

control which was just straight up maize

okay they gave them potato starch which

you bet your bottom you could find

potato starch on labels and ingredient

lists okay then they took a look at what

is called high amylase starch which yes

once again you can find and then they

found and then they looked at what is

called alpha amylase treated high

amylase starch that one you might not

see quite as much but high amylase wheat

high amylase barley all these things you

will see if you look for them there's

even high amylase rice and other

starches anyway they gave these rats

this stuff for four and a half weeks and

the results were very interesting they

found that high amylase starch produced

the most short chain fatty acids so all

the food makers all the

ingredientologists out there they're

going to take that to the bank right

they're going to say i want this high

amylase starch high emily's wheat high

amylase barley all this stuff let's put

it in our food but the levels of

butyrate with the high mla starch were

significantly lower than the other ones

so just because it produced a bunch of

short chain fatty acids doesn't mean

that it produced the butyrate that we're

actually after okay so does that mean

that a resistant starch is bad well yes

and no

no it doesn't because resistant starches

can still have a lot of huge benefit but

imagine you already have a bunch of gut

dysbiosis and you have a resistant

starch that can potentially feed a

bacteria that you don't want to be

growing the world of resistant starches

can be kind of difficult with that so

you're kind of wondering well what foods

do i avoid

look on the ingredient label and if it

says high amylase starch or high amylase

gluten things like that hyamily's wheat

you probably just want to back off of it

a little bit and substitute that out for

just something a little bit different

even potato starch or even some

resistant dextrin would be okay okay

these next ones are going to sound like

crazy fancy names because they're fibers

but then i'll give you the breakdown of

what they are

fructo oligosaccharides and

galactooligosaccharides

fructooligosaccharides the ones i'm

gonna pick on the most are gonna be like

onions and leeks okay to some degree

jerusalem artichoke but here's the thing

with artichoke artichoke has enough

inulin in it where i think that

kind of supersedes or kind of outweighs

the negative effect of having the

fructooligosaccharides because fruit

oligosaccharides are not bad it's just

kind of a useless fiber which you'll see

in a second galacto-oligosaccharides i'm

going to pick on kidney beans i'm going

to pick on lima beans okay

some benefits as far as protein and

other fibers go but largely pretty high

anyway it's all going to make sense in a

second so this study was published in

the journal scientific reports it was a

randomized 14-day crossover study so

very good kind of study design so

basically they gave subjects

fructooligosaccharide or

galactooligosaccharides at the end of

the study they found that

fructooligosaccharides reduced butyrate

levels 46

now granted there's a lot of things in a

study that aren't necessarily real world

okay

galactooligosaccharides reduced by about

31

so what's the deal here why are they

doing this like why are they decreasing

butyrate well the funny thing is if you

look at the surface level you see oh

these these are going to increase

bifidobacterium these fibers increase

bifida bacterium so people might even

put these fibers in their foods saying

it's going to in making the claim it

increases bifidobacterium

bifidobacterium is a good bacteria but

is not a butyrate producer

again you'll hear me talking about

butyrate producers butyrate producers

you know what butyrate producers are

things like ruminococcus okay

ruminococcus is a tremendous butyrate

producer fascicolyctobacterium is

another tremendous butyrate producer and

you know what fascicle lactobacterium

and ruminococcus both were decreased

when fruit oligosaccharides or

galactooligosaccharides increase so

essentially what's happening is they're

fibers that are feeding

different microbes that are not butyrate

producers so therefore the butyrate

producers are getting decreased and

other bacterias are

increasing producing different short

chain fatty acids right

so the bottom line with this is that

should you avoid onions and leeks well

no but it's a fiber that you really

shouldn't be thinking about as a fiber

and if you look at food products that

are fortified by having extra

fructooligosaccharides it's not exactly

going to be a huge benefit to you but i

have to make a giant disclaimer transit

time matters on these things so the

amount of time that something is

traveling through the gut could dictate

how it affects our short chain fatty

acid levels for example there's a study

published in the european journal

clinical nutrition and this was

interesting because it found that

transit time played a big role in the

short chain fatty acid production so

what they did is they took

different transit times a normal transit

time

a slowed down to half transit time and

an accelerated by 2x transit time all

done with pharmaceutical intervention

okay then they compared this to sort of

natural transit time they found that

people naturally with faster transit

times had higher levels of short chain

fatty acids

interesting the faster things were

moving through the gut the higher the

short chain fatty acid content was

the pharmaceutical intervention

same thing so eve whether it was natural

or pharmaceutically intervened if things

were moving faster through the gut there

was more short chain fatty acids there

were more short chain fatty acids so

what this essentially is at least

alluding to is that the more fiber that

you eat the faster things move and the

more efficient the whole process might

be so if you were to suddenly say take

someone that doesn't eat a lot of fiber

doesn't have the best transit time give

them a bunch of fiber

it could negatively affect transit time

and play a role in this so i guess i say

this to say

it doesn't mean that these fibers are

bad because there's a lot of different

confounding factors and things that

change things but just to recap

cellulose lettuce things like that don't

bank on it as a fiber

psyllium bank on it as a fiber for

pooping but not for much else and it

tastes pretty good when it's baked stuff

right okay next is going to be the

different resistant starches don't lean

in to the high amylase starches okay not

going to matter too much for you the

onions the leeks the lima beans and the

kidney beans although delicious they

just don't think of them as a beneficial

fiber so you might be thinking what

fibers do i add in uh let me give you a

few artichoke is still great asparagus

is still great brussels sprouts are

phenomenal okay

chia seeds tremendous big fan of chia

seeds flax seeds big fan of going with

the flax seeds as well things like that

are things you really want to be leaning

into you want to be leaning into the

higher inulin foods the higher inulin

starches as those are tremendous when it

comes down to being butyrate producing

okay doesn't mean that you have to avoid

these foods entirely just pay attention

as always keep it locked and hear my

channel i'll see you tomorrow