What is “dietary fiber”, and what does it do in the body?
A. Dietary fiber is found in various foods and is something you ingest (eat) that you cannot digest. The fiber passes through the stomach, then through the small intestine, and then into the colon. In the colon, fiber absorbs liquid and water, and this helps the colon function properly. Because the fiber absorbs liquid and water in the colon, a high fiber diet can help relieve symptoms of diarrhea by absorbing the excess water and slowing the colon stool passage. With constipation, the fiber absorbs the water, and allows for a softer stool that more easily passes through the colon. This is how fiber serves as a “bowel normalizer” and can help with both diarrhea or constipation.