Dietary fiber plays an important role in a variety of nutraceutical food products where the fiber functions in combination with other health supplements such as antioxidants and nutraceuticals. Diets high in fiber have been discovered to reduce the rates of heart disease and strokes, lower risks of intestinal and colon cancer, eliminate the need for insulin by diabetics, improve bowel functions, reduce triglyceride and serum cholesterol levels. Soluble dietary fiber may benefit dieters with improved stool regularity and reduced constipation and help in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis. Increasing the insoluble fiber in the diet has been shown to provide protection of the gastrointestinal tract such as avoiding overeating by absorbing water and slowing gastric emptying. Diets low in fat and high in fiber may reduce breast cancer risk by reducing blood estrogen level. High-carbohydrate and high fiber dietary intervention have been reported to have therapeutic effects for patients with diabetes mellitus. Diets high in fiber are effecttive in obesity control and weight loss programs due to their high ratio of bulk to calories. The role of dietary fiber in weight control attributes to its unique chemical and physical characteristics (e.g., viscosity-producing, binding or fermentability, water-holding capacity) that assist in enhancing the production of signals of satiation through intestinal-phase events in response modified gastrointestinal functioning and subsequent postponement of fat absorption. Inadequate fiber intake can lead to chronic diarrhea due to the lack of bulk and is associated with inefficient and irregular bowel function, colo-rectal cancers, and other digestive problems.

Since the health benefits of high fiber foods are so numerous, consumers are encouraged by health care professionals to include foods higher in both crude and dietary fiber in their diets. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends a healthy diet should high in fiber, low in fat and cholesterol and lower in sodium. This diet regime is especially useful for people having risk factors associated with chronic diseases, such as premature heart disease, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertention), and high blood cholesterol levels. The recommended daily intake of dietary fiber for healthy adults is between 20 and 35 grams per day. Natural fiber sources include vegetables, fruits, legumes, grain products, nuts and concentrated plant sources. Well known foods containing high fiber content are those prepared from isapgol (Plantago ovata) or bran from oat or wheat. Milk, meat and eggs do not have fiber. Soluble fiber is found in a wide range of plant sources including oats, barley, rye, chia, legumes (soybeans, peas and other beans), prune juice, plums and berries, broccoli and carrots, psyllium seed husk, root vegetables such as potatoes and onions. Water-soluble plant pectins, arabanogalactans, galactomannans and water-soluble hemicelulose are also good soluble fiber sources. Oats are well known food that contains high levels of soluble fiber ranging from about three to seven percents. The oat bran fraction contains higher soluble fiber content than whole oats because the soluble fiber in oats is typically concentrated in the outer part of the endosperm near the bran. Sources of insoluble fiber include nuts and seeds, skins of root vegetables, bran, whole grain foods, vegetables such as zucchini (courgette), green beans, cauliflower and celery. Legumes, Asian pear, wheat bran, prunes, and quinoa are the most fiber-rich plant foods.

Some natural products contain both insoluble and soluble fibers. Carrots, for example, are a unique natural source of both soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. Carrot fiber contains trace amount of lignin but is rich in pectin content which consists of pectin molecules with randomly distributed carboxyl groups as well as molecules that contain blocks of free carboxylic groups. Common dietary fiber supplements available on the market are made from fiber components such as psyllium, methylcellulose and polycarbophil. Psyllium, erived from Plantago ovata (which grows in sub-tropical regions) husk, is also an excellent source of both insoluble and soluble fibers. Psyllium is well known for its cholesterol lowering effects and bulk laxative effect. Inulin is a soluble fiber that can be found in many plants including artichokes, onions, asparagus, wheat or chicory. The inulin fiber may reduce the duration of the intestinal transit, the pH value in the colon, the lipid content in blood, constipation and a bifidogenic effect.

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