Cereal antioxidant dietary fibre for weight management and prevention of chronic disease

This paper focuses on the antioxidant component of cereal dietary fibre starting from its chemical structure, bioavailability and biological meaning. The slow and continuous release in the gut of the dietary fibre bound antioxidants could explain many health benefits of cereals. The soluble component of cereal antioxidant dietary fibre is the most suitable vehicle to bring phenolic compounds into the lower gut. These compounds cannot be absorbed when are bound to the polysaccharide moiety, becoming available for gut microflora. Moreover, those linked to the soluble dietary fibre can be hydrolyzed by bacterial esterases and absorbed into the bloodstream where they might prevent LDL oxidation. The action of phenolic acids is combined with the prebiotic activity of cereal dietary fibre which likely explains the positive action of whole grain based diet on weight management. Data of in vitro and human studies supporting this view will be illustrated.