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Fiber


(SOLUBLE VERSUS INSOLUBLE)
While both types are beneficial, they help the body in different ways. Fiber has long been held to aid digestion and keep people regular, but it has also been touted for helping to lower cholesterol. What is important to know is which type of fiber brings the desired effect you're looking to accomplish.

INSOLUBLE FIBER
This is the most common fiber and is the type which helps aid digestion, maintain regularity and has lately been associated with helping to lessen the chances of developing colon cancer. 

Insoluble fiber are actually indigestible carbohydrates. This is why product labeling will often list "net" carbs in addition to actual carbohydrates. For those trying to limit carbs in their diet, the formula for obtaining "net" carbs is to merely subtract the grams of fiber from the grams of carbohydrates (since they are indigestible - they don't count).  Thus, a product with 15 grams of carbs and 5 grams of fiber would have net carbs of 10 grams.

Foods high in insoluble fiber include whole-wheat products and vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, beets and Brussels sprouts.

SOLUBLE  FIBER
This fiber is water-soluble thus it dissolves into a gooey substance that has been found to attach to cholesterol and bile and in turn carries them out of the body as waste. This causes the liver to process cholesterol in order to manufacture additional bile replacing what was not reabsorbed in the intestines. The combined effects of both is a lowering of total blood cholesterol.

Foods high in soluble fiber include oatmeal, oat bran, beans, spinach, brown rice and citrus fruits. In 1997, the Food and Drug Administration allowed manufactures of whole oat foods to claim their products, when used in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, reduced the risk of heart disease. To achieve this, the American Medical Association suggests consuming three grams of soluble fiber per day. 

When reading product labels, the fiber content should be broken down to specify how much of the total amount is soluble versus insoluble. If only 'fiber' is listed without any additional break down, chances are it is insoluble.