Fiber is the part of fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and other plant foods that the human intestine can't digest. It helps make stools bulky, soft and generally a joy to expel. Both types do good things for our insides as they make their way to the outside. As its name suggests, insoluble fiber doesn't dissolve in water. Made from chemical compounds known as cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, it adds bulk to the stool and helps move things down and out so you can get to work on time.
Soluble fiber is composed of pectin, gums and mucilages.
It dissolves in water to make a sticky gel that thickens the intestinal contents, slowing things down long enough to allow the absorption of nutrients from digested food in plenty of time for you to get to a restroom. There's been much to-do about dietary fiber as a preventive for everything from colon cancer to mismatched socks. But most experts agree that fiber is just one ingredient in the recipe for disease prevention. You won't get skewered with these shish kebab tips and recipes. The first step to fitness is choosing a good walking shoe.