ISSA Nutritionist Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Simple sugars are rapidly fermented by gut bacteria due to their structure and digestibility. They consist of short chains of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, which make them easily accessible for fermentation processes. This quick fermentation leads to the production of gases and short-chain fatty acids, which are beneficial for gut health and provide energy for colon cells.

Dietary fiber and complex carbohydrates, while they can be fermented by gut bacteria, typically undergo fermentation at a slower rate. Fibers often require specific bacterial strains for fermentation, and complex carbohydrates take longer to break down because of their larger and more intricate structures. Consequently, simple sugars are the type of carbohydrate that is most rapidly fermented in the gut.