Humans can eat cellulose from wood or paper as dietary fiber because it passes through the gut undigested.

the verdict

INSUFFICIENT LEANING

Recorded sources

6 sources for · 0 against

Counts group repeated records of the same source within each side. They do not measure evidence strength or source independence.

Is it true that humans can eat cellulose from wood or paper as dietary fiber because it passes through the gut undigested?

Unclear. Several reference and peer-reviewed sources confirm that cellulose is an indigestible dietary fiber that passes through the human gut and adds bulk to the diet, and that cellulose is consumed as insoluble fiber in animal diets. None of the retrieved items addresses whether humans can eat cellulose specifically from wood or paper as dietary fiber.

Verdict: PARTIAL LEAN · 6 sources for, 0 against · Last checked 3 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

Evidence for · 6

cellulose

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cellulose. (n.d.). cancer.gov. https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/cellulose

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More for · 5

Humans have intestinal bacteria that degrade the plant cell walls in herbivores -

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Humans have intestinal bacteria that degrade the plant cell walls in herbivores - PMC Lock. (n.d.). pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v27.i45.7784

Modulating the Gut Microbiota of Humans by Dietary Intervention with Plant Glycans.

2021

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GW, T. (2021). Modulating the Gut Microbiota of Humans by Dietary Intervention with Plant Glycans.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.02757-20

Role of Dietary Fiber in Formation and Prevention of Small Intestinal Ulcers Induced by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug

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Role of Dietary Fiber in Formation and Prevention of Small Intestinal Ulcers Induced by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug. (n.d.). cir.nii.ac.jp. https://doi.org/10.2174/138161210790945922

Increased incidence rate of colorectal tumors due to the intake of a soluble dietary fiber in rat chemical carcinogenesis can be suppressed by substituting partially an insoluble dietary fiber for the soluble one

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Increased incidence rate of colorectal tumors due to the intake of a soluble dietary fiber in rat chemical carcinogenesis can be suppressed by substituting partially an insoluble dietary fiber for the soluble one. (n.d.). cir.nii.ac.jp. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.10493

Fiber-enriched botanicals: A therapeutic tool against certain metabolic ailments.

2022

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W, K., MS, A., A, J., F, M. A., TB, Q., & HAR, S. (2022). Fiber-enriched botanicals: A therapeutic tool against certain metabolic ailments.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.2920

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