07/12/2025
We used to know fiber only for its role in bulking up stool and improving regular bowel movements, but our understanding of fiber has expanded. Good gut bacteria digest fiber and use it to make short-chain fatty acids, which have a number of health-promoting effects, including:
✅ suppressing the growth of bad bacteria
✅ enhancing absorption of minerals (specifically, calcium)
✅ improving insulin sensitivity
✅ lowering colon cancer risk
While fiber itself has many health benefits, some of the protective effects may actually be due to the presence of polyphenols, a class of phytonutrients found in plant foods, 80% of which may be complexed with fiber. So, adding a fiber supplement is not equivalent to consuming whole plant foods. What’s more, and juicing not only strips away the fiber but also many of these beneficial polyphenols.
Why are polyphenols important?
Polyphenols are among the frontrunners in developing dietary approaches to fight age-related disease. More than 8,000 different polyphenols have been identified in plant foods, yet only a small proportion have had their health effects recorded. The largest class of polyphenols are the flavonoids. Plant eaters may consume more than 4,000 different types of flavonoids on a daily basis.
Berries are especially rich in polyphenols. Anthocyanins, a subgroup of polyphenols responsible for the red, blue, and purple pigments in plants, can cross our blood-brain barrier and localize in brain regions involved in learning and memory.
The bottom line: Blending fruits and vegetables preserves the fiber and attached polyphenols, giving us the full health benefits of eating plant-based foods.
Watch the video “Juicing Removes More Than Just Fiber” at https://see.nf/44lCiUX and “How to Get Enough Polyphenols for Life Extension” at https://see.nf/4ksvCvs to learn more.
PMIDs: 22747080, 24230488, 24528224, 9706145, 20540148, 25919227, 23095074, 31208133, 28606222, 22658645, 28970777
DOI: 10.1021/jf00043a017
doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2020.02.004
