So don’t stress too much over these categories. Insoluble fiber is found in foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains.īut here’s the thing–most foods contain more than one kind of fiber. It keeps things moving through your digestive tract and promotes a healthy gut. Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in water and acts more like roughage. Soluble fiber is found in psyllium, oats and beans. It slows the digestion of food and helps manage blood sugar and lower cholesterol. Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gel. There are two main types of fiber–soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. But it can offer some unique health benefits. This means that fiber can’t provide energy, aka calories. Your morning slice of toast becomes glucose, which travels through your blood to fuel your cells and brain.īut fiber doesn’t do that! Your body can’t break it down the same way–so it remains mostly untouched as it travels through your digestive tract. And these smaller sugars are used as energy in the body. You see, most carbohydrates are broken down by enzymes and other processes into smaller sugars. We all know it’s good for you–but it’s the fact that it can’t be digested that makes it so cool and beneficial. It’s found in plant foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that humans can’t digest.
