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Nutrition & Dietetics vocabulary · Macronutrients and Water

Dietary fiber

Meaning in nutrition & dietetics, with examples

/ˈdaɪəteri ˈfaɪbər/nounCore term

In nutrition & dietetics, dietary fiber means: The parts of plant foods that the human small intestine cannot digest, found in whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds. It supports bowel function and can help control blood sugar and cholesterol.

In Turkish: diyet lifi, posa, lif

How it is used

A key word on food labels and in counseling. Dietitians speak about fiber intake, soluble and insoluble fiber, high-fiber foods and increasing fiber gradually. On labels it usually appears simply as 'fiber' or 'fibre'.

Example sentences

  1. Most adults eat far less dietary fiber than guidelines recommend.

  2. Oats and barley contain a soluble dietary fiber called beta-glucan.

Common collocations

  • fiber intake
  • soluble fiber
  • insoluble fiber
  • high-fiber diet
  • source of fiber
  • carbohydrateA macronutrient found in foods such as bread, rice, fruit, legumes and milk. The body breaks it down mainly into glucose, its main source of energy; it gives about 4 kcal per gram.
  • whole grainA grain such as wheat, oats, barley or brown rice that still contains all three parts of the kernel: the bran, the germ and the endosperm.
  • gut microbiotaThe trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms that live in the digestive tract, mainly the large intestine, and help digest fiber, make some vitamins and support immunity.
  • digestionThe process in which the mouth, stomach and intestines break food down into small molecules that can be absorbed into the blood and used by the body.

More terms: Macronutrients and Water

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.