How does the fiber content in plums help in lowering LDL or 'bad' cholesterol levels?
It binds with bile acids in the digestive tract, prompting the body to draw more cholesterol from the bloodstream to create new bile acids.
The dietary fiber present in plums and prunes exerts its cholesterol-lowering effect within the digestive tract rather than through direct arterial action. Bile acids are compounds manufactured by the liver using cholesterol derived from the bloodstream. When fiber is present, it possesses the capability to bind to these secreted bile acids within the intestines. Once bound, the fiber-bile acid complex is escorted out of the body during defecation, meaning the bile acids are removed from the enterohepatic circulation. Because the body needs to replace these lost bile acids for necessary functions like fat emulsification, the liver is stimulated to draw existing cholesterol, specifically the LDL or 'bad' cholesterol fraction, out of the circulating blood supply to synthesize replacements, thereby reducing overall systemic LDL levels.
