What is a possible benefit of using soluble fiber in tube feeding?

• A. Increasing protein absorption
• B. Increasing fat oxidation
• C. Reducing diarrhea
• D. Elevating blood sugar

Answer: (C)

Soluble fiber can improve bowel function by absorbing water and forming a gel in the gut, which slows transit time and increases stool viscosity. In tube feeding, watery, poorly formed stools and rapid transit can lead to diarrhea; adding soluble fiber helps thicken stools and reduce stool frequency, making diarrhea less likely. It can also serve as a substrate for gut bacteria, producing short-chain fatty acids that support colon health and further improve stool form. So reducing diarrhea is a plausible and direct benefit of including soluble fiber in tube feeds.

Soluble fiber doesn’t boost protein absorption, and it doesn’t specifically increase fat oxidation. It also tends to slow glucose absorption and can help stabilize or lower blood sugar, not elevate it, so those options aren’t consistent with what soluble fiber does.