What is Fiber?

The popularity of Fiber has risen in our common lexicon as an important part of a healthy diet. However I’d bet the majority of the population does not know its unique benefits beyond the understanding that fiber helps improve stools and digestion. Welcome to a multi-part series into getting familiar with fiber!

Soluble vs. Insoluble - There are two types of fibers found in food.

Soluble fiber works by drawing water into the bowel during digestion to absorb it, thereby creating a viscous gel. This gel aids in regularity of digestion and defecation (read as: smooth poops). Further, due to its absorption qualities, soluble fiber can also soak up fat and sugars during digestion thereby blocking these nutrients from being absorbed into the bloodstream. This unique property helps to manage blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels as the fat and sugar from food that gets absorbed from fiber gets excreted instead.

Insoluble Fiber does not have the same absorbing properties as soluble fiber. This type of fiber goes largely undigested as it passes through the digestive system. As a result, this helps “move things along” to help alleviate constipation. It is also helpful in adding non-caloric bulk to meals, leading to the sensation of feeling full for a longer period of time. Since our bodies do not have the enzymes to breakdown fiber, it does not yield any caloric value to the human diet. The idea of adding more “volume” from high insoluble fiber foods provides satiety without additional calories. This distinction is important for understanding its health promoting properties.

In my next post, we will dive deeper into which foods you can add to your diet to get more soluble and insoluble fibers.