Do you have a sawdust deficiency?

I can hear the titters now. But, seriously, do you have a deficiency of wood fiber in sawdust, i.e., cellulose? No? Then why do people follow the common advice to include breakfast cereals such as All Bran, Fiber One, and Raisin Bran that, yes, are rich in fiber, but mostly rich in the cellulose fiber that is a constituent of sawdust? Cellulose in small quantities, as occurs in green vegetables and fruit is harmless, perhaps modestly beneficial. But there is no need to “supplement” with large quantities, as occurs with such bran or fiber-rich cereals. Nobody suffers from lack of cellulose. Cellulose fiber undoubtedly bulks up bowel movements, as humans lack the digestive apparatus to break it down. Likewise, very little cellulose is broken down by bowel flora. Cellulose therefore simply passes through the gastrointestinal tract, inert and undigested, while exerting a mild damaging abrasive effect on the delicate intestinal lining in its passage when consumed in high quantities. The discussion surrounding fibers has been confused by the more recently appreciated fact that fiber is not just one thing, but several different varieties. Just as “nutrients” can mean everything from vitamin C in citrus fruit to vitamin K2 in fermented dairy products to carotenoids in yellow/orange fruits and vegetables, so can the term “fiber” refer to a range of different things. The popular notion of fiber is therefore that of cellulose. The poop-bulking effect ...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: News & Updates cellulose constipation fiber prebiotic regularity wheat belly Source Type: blogs