Inhibition of Starch Absorption by Dietary Fibre: A Comparative Study of Wheat Bran, Sugar-Beet Fibre, and Pea Fibre

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Abstract
Hamberg O, Rumessen JJ, Gudmand-Høyer E. Inhibition of starch absorption by dietary fibre. A comparative study of wheat bran, sugar-beet fibre, and pea fibre. Scand J Gastroenterol 1989, 24, 103–109 The effect of dietary fibre on starch absorption was investigated in 8 healthy subjects. Amounts of starch escaping small-bowel absorption was assessed by comparison of breath H2 excretion after test meals and after lactulose (10g). After ingestion of bread made from 100g of wheat flour increases in H2 excretion occurred in all subjects; the calculated fractions of unabsorbed starch ranged from 4% to 17% (median, 8%). Concurrent ingestion of this bread with either wheat bran, sugar-beet fibre, or pea fibre increased the fraction of unabsorbed starch to 12.5% (5–22%) (p < 0.05), 12.5% (5–2–0%) (p < 0.01), and 12% (5–27%) (p < 0.01), respectively. Bread made from 100g of low-gluten wheat flour only escaped small-bowel absorption in three subjects with a maximal fraction of 6% (p < 0.05). All three fibres decreased mouth-to-caecum transit time. We conclude that the dietary fibres used in this study impaired the absorption of wheat starch and thereby increased the amount of starch-derived carbohydrate available for colonic fermentation.