Pea Hull Fiber: A Dietary Fiber to Modulate Gastrointestinal Function and Gut Microbiota The human gut microbiota is increasingly associated with disease risk and progression, and fiber is a key modulator of its composition and metabolic activity. Ground pea hull, which anatomically is the seed coat or testa and is commonly referred to as pea hull fiber, has been shown to positively impact gastrointestinal function by increasing stool frequency. However, its effects on gut microbiota are less clear. In young adults, pea hull fiber has been shown to enhance protective species such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and various other butyrate producers—an effect that is similar to consumption of whole pulses. In older adults with chronic disease, consuming foods with added fiber, including pea hull fiber, has been shown to reduce gut-generated inflammatory compounds, suggesting depression of deleterious protein fermentation in the colon. As pea hull fiber may have little impact on the Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus genera (both are thought to enhance health), its potential beneficial effects may instead be related to increased butyrate production and suppression of protein fermentation due to extended carbohydrate fermentation in the gut, reduced colonic transit time, or both. Further research is needed to determine the extent of fermentation of pea hull fiber and its effects on the microbiota, gut transit time, and health outcomes in various target populations. |