Soluble Fiber

There are two types of fiber in foods i.e. insoluble fiber and soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber dissolves in water while soluble fiber does.  Scientific studies over the years have continued to show the benefits of fiber in diet especially in aiding digestion. To maximise the benefits of fiber we need to take both soluble and insoluble fiber. Examples of foods rich in soluble fiber are oatmeal and oat bran, legumes, beans, nuts, peas, lentils and fruits.

More Benefits of Soluble Fiber and Insoluble Fiber

Scientist at the University Medical Center  in Utrecht, discovered that taking more soluble fiber was the best line of defence in alleviating symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. During a two year study participants consumed 10 grams of wheat bran(an insoluble fiber), 10 grams of psylium (a soluble fiber) or 10 grams of a placebo (rice flour), and they discovered that soluble fiber relieved most of the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

More fiber in foods has been shown to lower cholesterol levels on top of the benefits already mentioned. Fiber also reduces the risk of heart disease and every 10 gram increase, up to the recommended 30 gram level. lowers the risk of heart attack by 14 percent and risk of cardiac death by 27 percent.

Beans are one of the best sources of soluble fiber but this high soluble content causes some people to complain of gas. This is because the soluble fiber feeds the bacteria in the bowel which in turn produce more gas. To learn how to  reduce the gas in beans go to my previous post on How to Prevent Gas From Beans