There are two different types of fiber – soluble and insoluble. Both are important for health, digestion, and preventing diseases. Foods rich in this type of soluble fiber include oatmeal, nuts, beans, apples, and blueberries.
Contents
Uses
Fiber does way more than just keep you regular. The rough stuff can also help lower cholesterol, keep your blood sugar stable, make it easier to lose weight,, and even help keep you alive longer.
To get all those benefits, there are two types of fiber that your body needs: soluble and insoluble. Both come from plants and are forms of carbohydrates. But unlike other carbs, fiber can’t be broken down and absorbed by your digestive system. Instead, as it moves through your body it slows digestion and makes your stools softer and easier to pass.
Benefits
- Heart protection: Inside your digestive system, soluble fiber attaches to cholesterol particles and takes them out of the body, helping to reduce overall cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease. Oatmeal may offer the most heart protection.
- Diabetes protection: Because soluble fiber isn’t well absorbed, it doesn’t contribute to the blood sugar spikes that can put you at risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease. If you already have diabetes (either type 1 or type 2) soluble fiber can even help keep your condition under control.
- Weight loss: Soluble fiber can also help you get to — or stay at — a healthy weight by keeping you feeling full without adding many calories to your diet.
- Healthy bowel movements: Soluble fiber soaks up water as it passes through your system, which helps bulk up your stool and guard against constipation and diarrhea. In fact, most fiber supplements contain mostly soluble fiber.
Cautions
- Please talk to your doctor.
Interactions
- We currently have no information for Soluble Fiber.
Other names
n/a
References
Source: WebMD, http://www.webmd.com/diet/insoluble-soluble-fiber
nlm.nih.gov, https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002136.htm