A lifelong fitness enthusiast, Chris Ashenden serves as business growth manager for the superfood company Athletic Greens. He has also appeared in the New York Times bestseller The 4-Hour Body, and he regularly blogs at http://christhekiwi.com. In one recent post, Chris Ashenden explored the role fiber plays in encouraging the proliferation of beneficial gut bacteria and aiding digestion.

1. By Chris Ashenden

2. Introduction
 A lifelong fitness enthusiast, Chris Ashenden serves as
business growth manager for the superfood company
Athletic Greens. He has also appeared in the New York
Times bestseller The 4-Hour Body, and he regularly
blogs at http://christhekiwi.com. In one recent post,
Chris Ashenden explored the role fiber plays in
encouraging the proliferation of beneficial gut bacteria
and aiding digestion.

3. About Fiber
 He distinguishes between good soluble fiber and
potentially harmful insoluble fiber. Also known as
fermented fiber, water-soluble fiber is digestible by
bacteria living in the large intestine. In addition to
generating short chain fatty acids through the
bacteria’s digestion process, this fiber provides a food
source to increase the population of beneficial germs.

4. Conclusion
 On the other hand, non-fermentable, insoluble fiber
simply passes through the intestinal tract. Rather than
clearing the digestive system and relieving
constipation, it can inflame the system. A key strategy
for ensuring healthy fiber intake is to reduce
consumption of cereals and grains and concentrate on
eating edible plants higher in soluble fiber.