Fiber Is Good for You. Now Scientists May Know Why.<br />Dr. Bäckhed and his colleagues ran one more interesting experiment: They spiked water<br />given to mice on a high-fat diet with a species of fiber-feeding bacteria.<br />The mucus layer in their guts was healthier than in mice<br />that didn’t get fiber, the scientists found, and intestinal bacteria were kept at a safer distance from their intestinal wall.<br />The addition changed the mice for the better: Even on a high-fat diet, they produced more mucus<br />in their guts, creating a healthy barrier to keep bacteria from the intestinal walls.<br />Dr. Bäckhed and his colleagues carried out a similar experiment, surveying the microbiome<br />in mice as they were switched from fiber-rich food to a low-fiber diet.
