# Role of Dietary Fibre in Chronic Heart Disease

Kumari Sunita, Ajeet Kumar

► To cite this version:

Kumari Sunita, Ajeet Kumar. Role of Dietary Fibre in Chronic Heart Disease. 2021, pp.3 (6): 355-356.
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Submitted on 15 Jan 2026

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# Role of Dietary Fibre in Chronic Heart Disease

Article ID: 11123

Dr. Kumari Sunita¹, Dr Ajeet Kumar²

¹ SMS (Home science), KVK Madhopur, West Champaran - 845454 DRPCAU, Pusa (Samastipur).

²Assistant Professor -Cum-Scientist, Department of soil Science, SRI, DRPCAU, Pusa Samastipur- 848125.

## Introduction

Dietary fibres are unabsorbable plant materials which resist digestion in human gastro intestinal tract. It consists of a heterogeneous group of polymeric carbohydrates compounds including celluloses hemicelluloses and pectin plus non carbohydrate substance lignin which is a polymer based phenyl propane unit. The later constitute only very small proportion (<2%) of dietary fibre component of most diet. Hence plant cell walls are the main source of dietary fibre and most of our dietary fibre intake comes from the cell wall in foods such as vegetables, fruits, cereal products and seeds other than cereals.

## Role of Dietary Fibre in General

When considering the role of dietary fibre, one has to bear in mind the characteristics of the diet as a whole and the physical and chemical nature of the component of dietary fibre. The human digestive tract does not have the enzyme necessary for the breakdown of dietary fibre. The plant material in food enters the stomach relatively unaltered, hydrochloric acid helps to break up its cellulosic structure and release the protoplasmic matter containing digestible nutrients. In small intestine these digestible components are broken down by hydrolysis and the nutrients are absorbed by mucosal cells. In vitro studies suggest that the various fibre sources can inhibit the activity of pancreatic enzymes involved in digestion of carbohydrates, protein and fats. The mechanism for this inhibitory action is not understood but it may be attributed to the presence of specific fibre component or associated food sources.

The various fibrous components and associated substances pass through the stomach through the small intestine into the large intestine virtually unaltered. In the colon bacteria initiate digestion and metabolism of certain fraction mainly hemicelluloses, pectins and gums. There is subsequent production of various by products such as small chain fatty acids including acetate, propionate and butyrates, water, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen gas, and methane. The combination of these products of microbial metabolism together with the physical presence of fibre in colon may affect intestinal functions such as transit time, faecal weight, bowel habit, component of bacterial flora and output of organic anions such as bile salt.

## Fibre and Disease

An epidemiological survey conducted on the macronutrient intake and cardiovascular risk factor in older South Africans revealed that the inadequate fibre intake was attributed to the low consumption of fruits and vegetables. Anthropometric assessment of women tended towards over nutrition, lipid profile fell within the lower end of risk band for cardiovascular disease and a high prevalence of hypertension (71.6%). Another study done by (Nayak 1995) on fibre intake and serum cholesterol gave similar results. Studies by (Ballesteros et al, 1998) on dietary intake, energy, sodium, potassium and calcium intake and its relationship to blood pressure in normotensive male adults indicate that a significant relationship was found between hypertension and high consumption of sodium and obesity. A randomised single blind and controlled trial on the effect of guava fruit substitution on ascorbic acid CHD risk factors were examined and found that there was self-imposed decreased intake of total fat and saturated fat and an increase in PUFA: SFA ratio. Total carbohydrates fibre, potassium and vitamin C intake was higher in experimental group. There was net increase in plasma ascorbic acid and HDL cholesterol and decrease in serum cholesterol (Singh, 1997).

Based mainly on these and various similar epidemiological data low intake of dietary fibre has been associated with a broad spectrum of unrelated non-infectious diseases. The role of fibre in human disease can be grouped into
1. Diseases of GIT.

2. Circulation related diseases.

3. Metabolic diseases.

## Circulation Related Diseases

Increased serum lipids specially triglycerides and cholesterol are considered as the primary risk factors in atherosclerosis and cardiac heart disease. Some scientist put forth the hypothesis that a high consumption of starchy carbohydrates with fibre is protective against hyperlipidemia and CHD. The properties of dietary fibres that may be important in relation to gastro intestinal functions are as follows-particle size, water holding capacity, viscosity enhancing characteristics and bile salt binding capacity. The last characteristic is important for the CHD.

Bile acid which are synthesized by liver are required for emulsifying fats and oils during digestion and thus permit their absorption from intestine. Some fibres (pectin and lignin) bind bile salt and prevent their absorption as well as absorption of dietary cholesterol and fat to be excreted. Since bile acid excretion is the main elimination pathway of endogenously synthesized cholesterol the increase of the excretion o mar reduce the cholesterol pool and thus lower blood cholesterol level.

Another theory is that small chain fatty acid after absorption may inhibit synthesis of cholesterol by liver. Numerous studies in humans and in experimental animals have demonstrated that increased dietary fibre lowers plasma cholesterol. Fibre has been referred to as hypocholesterolemic. The importance of the interaction between pectin and secretion of bile duct was shown by the work of Trowel and Judd(1985)on hypocholesterolemic effect of pectin on rats. It is suggested that highly viscous gut content may retain bile salt, fat, and cholesterol within a loose gel network and thus minimise absorption and also present a barrier to ly polytic activity. Such effect would result in increased excretion of lipid, cholesterol and bile salt and reduction of serum cholesterol level.

Thus, dietary fibre especially the soluble type appears to have a lipid lowering effect but the amount required is quite high and is unlikely to be consumed naturally. More over dietary fibre is not a single entity which can be chemically defined so it is suggested that an intake of 40-gram dietary fibre a day is desirable.

## Summary

The dietary fibre is known to be associated with reduced incidence of coronary heart diseases. Various dietary fibre components may differ in exhibiting this property. The mechanism of its action is attributed to its binding to bile salts and preventing its reabsorption and in reducing cholesterol level in circulation.

## Reference

1. C.Gopalan, Ramashashtri B V and S C Balasubramanian (1991) Nutritive Value of Indian foods, N I N, ICMR Hydrabad 25-26.

2. Viswanath M Sardesai (1998) Introduction to clinical nutrition (388-393).

3. Balasteros-Vasquez M N (1998) JAMA279:5,359-365.