Sources of Soluble Fiber

Dietary fiber is a food substance found in plants that contains no calories and has many health benefits associated with it. High intake of dietary fiber lowers the blood pressure and serum cholesterol levels, hence reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and certain gastrointestinal diseases. Fiber supplementation enhances the body's immune system and minimizes the possibilities of many gastrointestinal disorders like gastroesophageal reflux disease, duodenal ulcer, diverticulitis, constipation and hemorrhoids. For people who are on diet or a weight loss program, fiber intake is highly beneficial.

There are mainly two types of fibers: soluble and insoluble fibers. Both these fibers are not digestible as they are not absorbed into the bloodstream. These fibers are not utilized as a source of energy and are excreted from the body. Soluble fiber forms a gel when mixed with water, while the insoluble fiber helps move the food through our body and gets excreted more quickly. The recommended soluble fiber amounts in food is 21 to 38 grams per day.

Health Benefits of Soluble Fiber
The benefits of soluble fiber primarily occurs in our digestive system, i.e. stomach and small intestine. Some of these benefits are as follows:

• Soluble fiber decelerates digestion in the stomach and small intestine which slows down the conversion of carbohydrates into glucose, hence stabilizing the blood glucose levels. By reducing the glycemic index of the food, it forces the nutrients to spend more time in the digestive area, eventually increasing the uptake of minerals and other nutrients in the food.
• It reduces the blood cholesterol and sugar levels by binding with the bile acids and cholesterol in the digestive tract, hence preventing them from getting absorbed by the body. This reduces the risks of heart diseases and helps in controlling diabetes.
• It forms a thick gel when it comes in contact with water in the digestive tract. This slows down the digestive process and gives a feeling of satiety. Hence, fiber is quite a useful component in a healthy weight loss diet as the person doesn't feel hungry frequently.
• Soluble fiber also has some cancer benefits as it helps in preventing colon cancer and breast cancer.

Foods High in Soluble Fiber
Some of the best sources of soluble fiber are as follows:

• Fruits like apples, cranberries, grapes, oranges, peaches, pears, plums and prunes are excellent sources of soluble fiber. Eating these fruits without peeling them will help in preserving their fiber content.
• Oatmeal is one of the best source of fiber, also having low sugar content.
• Root vegetables like beets, carrots, onions, potatoes and sweet potatoes, and legumes like beans, peas and soybeans are also considered to be rich sources of soluble fiber.
• Barley and rye are also good sources of soluble fiber which can be found in different types of breads.

Psyllium husk, flax seed, brussel sprouts, blackberries, etc., are some more sources of soluble fiber. To make sure that you get enough fiber content in your diet, all you have to do is to make some minor changes to your dietary habits, like replacing white bread with wheat bread , having an apple or an orange for breakfast or a bowl of oatmeal in place of sugary cereal.