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disease prevention

In therapeutics: General requirements
Only the soluble fibres found in oats, fruit, and legumes lower blood cholesterol and benefit individuals with diabetes by delaying the absorption of glucose.
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human nutrition

In human nutrition: Dietary fibre
Soluble fibre, which dissolves or swells in water, slows down the transit time of food through the gut (an undesirable effect) but also helps lower blood cholesterol levels (a desirable effect). Types of soluble fibre are gums, pectins, some hemicelluloses, and mucilages; fruits (especially citrus…
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dietary fibre

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dietary fibre

Also known as: roughage

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Jun 5, 2025 • Article History

Related Topics:: human nutrition; insoluble fibre; soluble fibre; macronutrient; diet

On the Web:: BMC - Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology - Â“Dietary fibreÂ”: moving beyond the Â“soluble/insolubleÂ” classification for monogastric nutrition, with an emphasis on humans and pigs (June 05, 2025)

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dietary fibre, Food material not digestible by the human small intestine and only partially digestible by the large intestine. Fibre is beneficial in the diet because it relieves and prevents constipation, appears to reduce the risk of colon cancer, and reduces plasma cholesterol levels and therefore the risk of heart disease. Fibre also slows gastric emptying and contributes to satiety. Whole grains, vegetables, nuts, and fruits are all good sources. See also nutrition.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kara Rogers.

soluble fibre

Learn about this topic in these articles:

disease prevention

human nutrition

dietary fibre