What are Soluble and Insoluble Fibre?
Fibre comes in two basic forms: soluble (it dissolves in water) and insoluble ( it does not dissolve in water). Soluble fibres include gums, pectin’s, mucilage’s and some hemicelluloses. Foods high in soluble fibre include oats and oat bran, barley, psyllium seeds, flax meal, beans, peas, carrots, citrus fruits and apples. Soluble fibre has been shown to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and stabilize blood sugar by slowing the absorption of sugar from the digestive tract. Soluble fibre is useful for diabetics since it helps lower insulin and triglyceride levels. Insoluble fibres include cellulose, lignin and some hemicelluloses, and are found in foods such as wheat bran, corn bran, celery, and the skins of fruits and root vegetables. Insoluble fibre helps to reduce the risk of intestinal cancers, and it helps prevent constipation and diverticulitis by absorbing toxins from foods, and reducing the production of bacterial toxins in the GI tract. Most plant foods supply both the
