The unsung heroes in all this digestive work are dietary fiber and your microbiome. Fiber is a class of carbohydrate (there are many varieties of fiber) that our bodies can’t digest—at least, not on their own. These tough, stringy molecules are what give plant parts their strength and structure. Fiber from our food covers the intestinal walls like a wet knit blanket, forming a lattice-like filter that slows the absorption of sugars and other nutrients into the bloodstream. That’s why the glycemic index—the rush of sugar into the blood—is about 25 percent higher for orange juice, which doesn’t
...more
