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Gastro-intestinal Physiology and Function

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Dietary Fibre — A Component of Food

Part of the book series: ILSI Human Nutrition Reviews ((ILSI HUMAN))

Abstract

The presence of non-starch polysaccharides in a meal may reduce postprandial sugar and lipid levels, reduce the bio-availability of micronutrients, assist weight reduction and increase stool output and the expulsion of gas from the colon. These effects can be explained by the physiological actions of non-starch polysaccharides, in particular their ability to displace nutrients from the diet, the dilution and sequestration of nutrients within the polysaccharide matrix, the imparting of viscous properties to gastro-intestinal contents and the provision of substrate for colonic fermentation.

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Authors
  1. N. W. Read
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  2. M. A. Eastwood
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Nestlé Research Center, Nestec Ltd., Vers-chez-les-Blanc, PO Box 44, CH-1000, Lausanne 26, Switzerland

    Thomas F. Schweizer

  2. Department of Human Nutrition, Yorkhill Hospital, University of Glassgow, Glasgow, G3 8SJ, UK

    Christine A. Edwards

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© 1992 Springer-Verlag London Limited

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Read, N.W., Eastwood, M.A. (1992). Gastro-intestinal Physiology and Function. In: Schweizer, T.F., Edwards, C.A. (eds) Dietary Fibre — A Component of Food. ILSI Human Nutrition Reviews. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-1928-9_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-1928-9_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-1930-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-1928-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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