Abstract

GARCIA OCHOA, Omar Eduardo; INFANTE, Ramón Benito  and  RIVERA, Carlos Julio. Alimentary fiber definition. An Venez Nutr [online]. 2008, vol.21, n.1, pp.25-30. ISSN 0798-0752.

Dietary fiber (DF) has been a topic of considerable interest among nutritionists and physicians for the last 35 years. This work was basically focused on an analysis of the dietary fiber definition, the currently existing controversy and the new proposal to be included in such a definition. DF was defined as all nonstarch polysaccharides plus lignin, which are not digested or absorbed in the human digestive tract. This definition does not include other vegetable substances, such as, polyphenols, resistant protein or resistant starch, which are also resistant to digestion. For most researchers this definition is not yet complete. Epidemiological investigations, have suggested the possible relationship between the most common diseases in the modern Western societies and the dietary fiber.An Venez Nutr 2008;21 (1): 25-30.

Keywords : Alimentary fiber; dietary fiber; polysaccharides; resistant starch.