Science Journal

How Fiber Makes Stool Solid?

There is a science video that I watched how a person acquire appendicitis and the narrator suggested that to strengthen the solidity of the stool so it would prevent a stone made of feces(fecalith) going to a certain place where it does not belong, which might result to appendicitis, is to eat fiber, the indigestible part of carbohydrates found mostly in plants. After watching that video, my wandering mind starts asking how fiber makes the stool stay intact and solid. So I open a lot of sites to read how fiber affects the quality of the poop.

After reading a lot of articles I learned that not only fiber can make the stools more solid by absorbing its water but also can help aid constipation, a health condition which the food moves slowly through the large intestine thereby absorbing too much water content of the poop will from a hard stool. Excreting a hard stool is excruciatingly painful and make you plead hard to a supernatural deity to end your suffering. However, fiber will effectively regulate digestion and treat constipation and diarrhea in the right amount or within the suggested amount by your doctor. Also, fiber can make the waste bulkier by binding the indigestible food together allowing more stool to exit the colon or large intestine.

Furthermore, there are two types of fiber. One is soluble fiber that is found in oats, barley, rye, dried beans, oranges, and apple. It helps lower cholesterol that lowers the risk of acquiring heart disease. As this soluble fiber dissolves in water and turns into a gelatinous form as it travels through the gut, this gelatinous fiber slows the digestion, giving more time to the body to absorb all the vital nutrients from the consumed food. It can prevent you from overeating by making you reach the satisfying feeling of being full, thus maintaining your weight. Also, soluble fiber attaches to cholesterol particles and takes them out from the body that helps reduce overall cholesterol levels.

The second type of fiber is insoluble fiber. It does not dissolve in water as its name suggests. Instead, it remains intact as it passes through the digestive system. It increases the bulkiness of the stool and like soluble fiber, it helps the food to pass through the digestive system more easily. This type of fiber is found in wheat bran, vegetables, whole grains, seeds and the skin of the fruits. Insoluble fiber is the better remedy to constipation.

However, too much fiber intake can result in flatulence, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation. Too much is always bad. You will fart more frequently because the bacteria within the colon can also digest fiber in a tiny amount thereby producing a varying amount of gas too. Yes, you read it correctly. Bacteria can fart too. So, to prevent intestinal gas and bloating is to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated. Another way to prevent the stated undesirable health conditions is not to change your diet into a high-fiber diet instantly. Take your transition slow and give your body time to get used to it. Increase your fiber intake gradually and stay hydrated because proper fluid helps the fiber to do its job and prevent you from becoming a super Saiyan for defecating so hard.