Human Nutrition (The Role Of Fibre) Flashcards
What is dietary fibre also called?
Roughage
What is roughage also called?
Dietary fibre
What is dietary fibre made of?
Cellulose from plant cell walls
Can humans digest cellulose?
No
What are some good sources of fibre in the diet?
Wholemeal bread
Cereals
Vegetables
Fruit
What does fibre do to water?
It absorbs and stores water
What does fibre absorb and store?
Water
As fibre absorbs and stores water, what happens to unabsorbed waste?
It expands
How does fibre cause unabsorbed waste to expand?
It absorbs and stores water
As fibre absorbs and stores water, what does it cause to expand?
Unabsorbed waste
What stimulates the muscles of the intestine to work?
The increase in the bulk of the unabsorbed waste in the large intestine
What does the increase in the bulk of the unabsorbed waste in the large intestine stimulate?
The muscles of the intestine (peristalsis)
What type of cancer is a high-fibre diet thought to reduce the risk of?
Colon cancer
How does a high-fibre diet reduce the risk of colon cancer?
This is because waste moves more rapidly through the colon, which means that cancer-causing chemicals have less time in contact with the colon
