NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS OF DIETARY-FIBERS

Dietary fibre encompasses a group of heterogeneous compounds differing considerably in chemical composition and physical properties within and between plant sources. This is reflected in the variation observed in the physicochemical properties which determine physiological activity. Consequently, nutritional effects vary between foods, and this is further confounded by the divergent feeding strategies and digestive anatomies evolved by different animal species to deal with dietary fibres. This paper will summarise the most pertinent nutritional aspects of dietary fibres, illustrated with appropriate examples from the authors' laboratory.