Meat Is High in Harmful Saturated Fat and Cholesterol However, fiber from plants does ferment (“rot”) in the colon, which is actually a good thing as it feeds the friendly bacteria. Bottom Line: The nutrients in meat are broken down and absorbed way before they reach the colon.
Plants do… and this is actually a good thing. This is what keeps the friendly bacteria alive and many studies are showing that feeding these bacteria properly is incredibly important for optimal health ( 2, 3). There, it gets fermented (rots) by the friendly bacteria in the intestine, which turn it into nutrients and beneficial compounds like the short-chain fatty acid butyrate ( 1). The human digestive system doesn’t have the enzymes necessary to break down fiber, which is why it travels all the way to the colon.
