Soluble fiber dissolves in water in your intestinal tract, forming a gluelike gel. It softens stools and slows down stomach emptying, allowing for better digestion and helping you feel fuller longer, an effect that may aid weight loss. Soluble fiber has been credited with lowering blood cholesterol. It may also help people with diabetes by lowering the amount of insulin necessary to process blood sugar after a meal. When taken with plenty of water before meals, a soluble fiber supplement binds with water in the stomach and forms a gummy mass and that s what makes us feel full.
Insoluble fiber is the champion of the gastrointestinal tract.
It s a good natural laxative because it holds onto water and moves waste quickly through the intestines, says David Beck, M.D., chairman of colon and rectal surgery at the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans. It also adds bulk and softens stools. In general, soluble fibers are found in higher concentrations in fruits, oats, barley, and beans. When shopping for soluble fiber supplements, you can choose from psyllium , gums, mucilages, glucomannan, or pectins, says Dr. Beck. Although it s helpful to classify fiber as either soluble or insoluble, we need both kinds in our diets.