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.
