processed food

The microbiomes basic job is to digest (ferment) a certain type of fiber called dietary fiber. Fiber is a natural compound found only in plants. From a nutritional point of view, fiber is a complex carbohydrate. But unlike refined sugar, fiber cannot be digested by our body, simply because it lacks the proper enzymes to do that. This fiber passes unchanged through the gastrointestinal tract, until it reaches the colon. Here, the microbiome converts it into compounds that can be absorbed by our colon, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), certain B vitamins, and vitamin K