Fibre

Dietary fibre is found in plant foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and seaweed.

Dietary fibres are non-digestible food components and are a type of carbohydrate. They are made up of long chains of sugars that cannot be broken down (digested) by the human body. Nevertheless, fibre is an important part of our diet because it forms the nutritional basis for our intestinal bacteria. Besides locust bean gum, guar gum, pectin, and others, galacto- and fructo-oligosaccharides as well as human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) also belong to the group of dietary fibres that have a prebiotic effect. 

Fibre has a positive influence on the digestive system. The water-soluble dietary fibres have the ability to bind water, which leads to an increase in the amount of stool. The pressure this exerts on the intestinal wall promotes the movement of the intestine and its emptying. Fibre forms the nutritional basis of the intestinal flora, especially of the lactobacilli and the bifidobacteria, which results in an increase of the good bacteria. This displaces pathogens. The dietary fibres are metabolised by fermentation to odourless gases as well as short-chain fatty acids. The fatty acids are absorbed by the colon mucosa and serve as food for the mucosal cells of the colon. They also have a positive influence on calcium metabolism and consequently on healthy bone development. The positive properties of fibre support the well-being of the infant.