What Is the Function of Soluble Fiber in Stool Formation?
The foods we eat are broken down into a liquid as they are digested. After the nutrients are absorbed, undigested particles of soluble fiber are passed along with left over particles as liquid waste (called feces) to the colon. It is the job of the colon to form stools (by extracting excess water from the liquid feces) and to eliminate the stools from the body. Soluble fiber helps to make stools soft and flexible. In the colon, healthy bacteria ferment soluble fiber into a gel. As a stool is formed, some of this gel becomes incorporated into the stool mass. Once the gel is incorporated into the stool mass it helps to prevent the stool from becoming dry and hard (when stools are soft and flexible, they are easier to pass during a bowel movement). Gel not incorporated into the stool lubricates the colon lining and coats the stools as they pass through the colon. This lubrication eases the passage of stool through the colon and eases passage during a bowel movement. Soft and flexible stoo
