Category Archives: Short Chain Fatty Acids

Microorganisms Of The Rumen

Posted on January 25, 2015 by Robert Barrington

It is only recently that the importance of the microbiota in the human gut has being fully appreciated as pivotal to human health. This is surprising, because the colonisation of the guts of ruminant livestock is known to provide essential … Continue reading →

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Manufactured Fibre

Posted on June 1, 2014 by Robert Barrington

Structurally, dietary fibres are sugar molecules joined through non-digestible glycosidic bonds. The sugar energy within the molecule is not absorbed dirtectly as the fibre passess through the upper gastrointestinal tract undigested. However, as with ruminant animals, humans can ferment fibre … Continue reading →

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More On Fibre And Cancer

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Robert Barrington

Poor diet is now considered to play a significant role in the development of cancer. In particular, the low quality foods that characterise the typical Western diet are thought to be particularly problematic. Plant foods are thought to confer protection … Continue reading →

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Volatile Fatty Acid Production

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Robert Barrington

  Volatile fatty acids, also called short chain fatty acids (SCFA), are produced in the colon through the fermentation of dietary fibre. Originally it was assumed that the only benefit of dietary fibre was to provide bulk to chyme to … Continue reading →

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Acai Berry: Antioxidant Cocktail

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Robert Barrington

 he acai berry is a fruit found in palm trees (Euterpe oleraceae) native to the Amazon basin and surrounding areas in South America. The fruit of the tree holds economic value to the indigenous populations of these areas where it … Continue reading →

Posted in Acai Berry, Alpha Linolenic Acid, Antioxidant, Linoleic Acid, Oloeic Acid, Omega 3, Omega 6, Polyphenols, Proanthocyanidins, Short Chain Fatty Acids, Sterols and Stanols | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Acai Berry: Antioxidant Cocktail

More on Soluble Fibre

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Increasingly, research suggests that both insoluble and soluble fibres are beneficial to long-term health. Soluble fibre has some interesting metabolic effects, with perhaps the most researched and most important being the ability to normalise elevated blood lipid levels. Insoluble fibre … Continue reading →

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More on Resistance Starch

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Resistant starch, also known as dietary fibre, represents the fraction of carbohydrate intake that contains glycosidic bond types that result in incomplete hydrolysis by human digestive enzymes. Such carbohydrate was once considered to be important to health solely because it … Continue reading →

Posted in Fibre, Gastric Emptying, Ghrelin, Glycaemic Index, Glycaemic load, Resistant Starch, Short Chain Fatty Acids | Comments Off on More on Resistance Starch

More on Short Chain Fatty Acids

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Resistant starch may be beneficial to health because colonic fermentation by microflora produces short chain fatty acid (SCFA) that cause beneficial physiological changes. These include a decrease in gut pH that inhibits the growth of pathogens, increased electrolyte absorption, increases … Continue reading →

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The Downside of High Protein Diets

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Evidence suggests that high protein diets are effective at aiding weight loss. The mechanisms by which increased dietary protein may decrease body weight include improved postprandial satiety and better control of insulin and glucose levels. During periods of intense exercise, … Continue reading →

Posted in Fibre, Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), Galacto-oligosaccharides, Phenolic Acids, Protein, Short Chain Fatty Acids | Comments Off on The Downside of High Protein Diets

Stress and Prebiotics

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Robert Barrington

The mammalian gastrointestinal tract contains considerable neuronal tissue and is capable of releasing many of the same hormones and neurotransmitters found in the brain. Recent research suggests that there may be bidirectional communication between the gut tissue and the central … Continue reading →

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