Knowra Beta-glucan Beta-glucan Beta-glucan is a polysaccharide of glucose units joined by beta linkages. Its structure varies by source, and some forms dissolve in water and act as dietary fiber.
Soluble fiber : Dietary fiber that dissolves or disperses in water, often forming viscous solutions. Beta-glucan is one soluble fiber whose viscosity shapes its effects in the gut.
Polysaccharide : A carbohydrate polymer made from many sugar units connected by glycosidic bonds. Beta-glucan is a polysaccharide built from glucose.
Oat bran : The outer layers of the oat grain, concentrated in fiber and beta-glucan. Oat bran is a practical way to increase dietary beta-glucan intake.
Insoluble fiber : Dietary fiber that does not dissolve in water and generally adds bulk to intestinal contents. Unlike viscous cereal beta-glucan, insoluble fibers do not form thick solutions.
Viscosity : A fluid's resistance to flowing, arising from internal friction. Dissolved beta-glucan can thicken intestinal contents, slowing nutrient transport.
Glucose : A six-carbon monosaccharide that serves as a major energy source in organisms. Repeated glucose units form beta-glucan's backbone.
Food fortification : The addition of nutrients or functional ingredients to foods to improve their composition. Food makers add cereal beta-glucan to increase fiber content or support health claims.
Cellulose : A structural plant polysaccharide made of glucose units joined by beta-1,4 linkages. Cellulose is also glucose-based but is insoluble and structurally distinct from dietary beta-glucan.
Bile acid : A cholesterol-derived molecule that helps digest and absorb dietary fats. Viscous beta-glucan can increase bile acid loss, prompting the liver to use cholesterol to replace it.
Beta-1,3-glucan : A glucose polymer containing beta-1,3 linkages, found in fungi, yeast, and some plants. This linkage pattern occurs in fungal and yeast beta-glucans, which differ from cereal forms.
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