Nothing makes good morning office chat like fiber talk. So the next time one of those great fiber-focused conversations comes up, here’s something to share. Scientists at the Medical College of Georgia have released the results to an interesting study on how fiber works in a rather paradoxical way. As they explain, fiber actually does its job by first doing damage to our gastrointestinal tract. As the fiber passes through, it tears cells along the way. These cells produce mucus, which is what helps food move more easily through the digestive process. The cycle of cell injury and repair produces more mucus and keeps the GI tract healthy.