Potential weight loss: Fiber may help you feel full and absorb fewer calories from mixed meals.Relief from irritable bowel syndrome: Although insoluble fiber bulks up stool, soluble fiber seems to be more beneficial for irritable bowel syndrome.Lower LDL cholesterol levels: According to clinical trials, both soluble and insoluble fiber may help modestly reduce LDL cholesterol.Better diabetes control: Soluble fiber can help lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.3 Colonic bacteria ferment soluble fiber, while insoluble fiber passes through untouched, helping bulk up stools and making them easier to pass.Īlthough it’s promoted for helping to relieve constipation, fiber has been found to play several other roles in good health, including the following. Vegetables and other plant foods contain a combination of soluble and insoluble fiber. 1 Instead, fiber passes through your system until it reaches your colon, where it is either fermented by bacteria or eliminated in feces, depending on the type. What is fiber, and why can it be beneficial?ĭietary fiber is the portion of plant foods sometimes referred to as “roughage.” Unlike other carbohydrates, fiber isn’t broken down and absorbed by your digestive tract.
