Dietary fibre is good for the intestine

Gut microbes metabolize indigestible dietary fiber to produce short-chain fatty acids, which signal cells lining the large bowel to maximize oxygen consumption, thereby limiting the amount of oxygen diffusing into the gut lumen. We must feed the beneficial microbes in our intestines with dietary fiber to maintain healthy gut.

The beneficial gut bacteria that are able to breakdown fiber don't survive in an environment rich in oxygen, which means that our microbiota and intestinal cells work together to promote a virtuous cycle that maintains gut health.

The new research identified the host receptor peroxisome proliferator receptor gamma (PPARg) as the regulator responsible for maintaining this cycle of protection.

When this host signaling pathway malfunctions, it leads to increased oxygen levels in the gut lumen. These higher oxygen levels make us more susceptible to aerobic enteric pathogens such as Salmonella or Escherichia coli, which use oxygen to eliminate competing beneficial microbes.
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Eating raw spinach can cause kidney stones

Spinach is a good source of dietary fiber, raw spinach has oxalic acid, it can react with minerals in our intestines to form calcium oxalate precipitation which can cause kidney stones.

Other foods that have high oxalic acid are swiss chard, beetroot, almonds, cashew nut, buckwheat, tea, coffee, chocolate and parsley.

Eating raw spinach can cause diarrhea and abdominal pain. Excess consumption of raw spinach can make it difficult for your body to absorb required amount of iron from ingested foods.

People who are genetically predisposed to kidney stone formation must be very careful when consuming raw spinach,
cooking or steaming of spinach can destroy oxalic acid in it.
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