Dietary Fiber: Its Importance and Health Benefits

Dietary fiber (DF) is gaining attention in studies since it is thought to have significant health advantages.Dietary fiber is a class of food ingredients that is mostly present in fruits, vegetables, and grains that is resistant to digestive enzymes.A special combination of bioactive ingredients, such as resistant starches, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants, can be found in dietary fiber and whole grains.Water-soluble and water-insoluble organic compounds are the two categories used to analyze dietary fiber that is indigestible in the human small intestine but fully or partially fermented in the large intestine.There are numerous components from dietary fiber that can be distinguished.Among these fractions are resistant starch, β-glucan, cellulose, pectin, inulin, and arabinoxylan.Dietary fibers make up the majority of low-energy items that have become more and more significant in recent years.In addition to their various health benefits, dietary fibers have technological and functional features that can be utilized in food production.The large intestine's functions are organized by dietary fiber components, which also have significant physiological impacts on mineral bioavailability, lipid metabolism, and glucose.Dietary fibers have a documented protective impact against a number of gastrointestinal conditions, including diverticulitis, duodenal ulcer, colon cancer, constipation, hemorrhoids, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.They also help prevent obesity, diabetes, stroke, hypertension, and cardiovascular illnesses.This review examines the biological and physicochemical characteristics of dietary fibers and their significant effects on human health.