Natalia
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 Posted: 08/27/06 - 07:09 Post subject: The mechanism of high-fiber foods has been identified |
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Researchers from the Medical College of Georgia managed to identify the exact work of the high-fiber foods. They revealed how these foods release the lubricating mucus. Rough foods strike upon the cells that line the gastrointestinal tract and rupture their covering. This banging at the cell walls and tearing the lining increases the lubricating mucus. The lubricating mucus enables food to go down more easily and not only that.
So, it turns out that the damage to the cells actually promotes good health of the gastrointestinal tract. The damaged cells repair themselves so quickly excreting even more mucus.
The scientists managed to show that this secreting mucus is what actually helps in the healing process of the cells.
This is how they explained the process: when the cells of the outer membrane tear within three seconds or so a few of the internal mucus-filled compartments in epithelial cells fuse together to form a patch to repair the damage. While they are forming this patch, they are expelling their contents ie mucus, making more lube being available to the whole gastrointestinal tract. What is even more interesting, the cells in the lining that were intact produced more mucus.
In the experiment, in which researchers used photon lasers to make small holes in the cells, it was shown that the mucus secretion was what actually boosted the healing process.
In the end, we can conclude that eating fiber foods that damage the lining also help in their healing process. |
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