What Fiber is best for you?

You can get the most bang for your buck by choosing which foods to include in your diet to experience all the benefits of dietary fiber. 

If you experience constipation, food sensitivities, excessive gassiness or bloating, IBS, or diarrhea, it is helpful to know which type of fiber is best for you & your needs. In addition to keeping the gut healthy, fiber-rich foods also have added benefits like boosting mental health, strengthening the immune system, balancing blood sugar & cholesterol, appetite management, and improving cardiac health.

Dietary fiber is of 2 types  – soluble & insoluble. 

Soluble Fiber – this type of fiber attracts water and then turns into a gel that helps to move things smoothly along your small & large intestine. 

This type of fiber can help with constipation caused due to poor diet, pelvic floor tension, and low physical activity. It can also help those who have hemorrhoids to pass their bowel movements with less discomfort due to stool becoming softer in consistency. 

Studies show that soluble fiber supplements can be just as effective as laxatives to decrease constipation. Additionally, soluble dietary fiber like guar gum and psyllium have blood sugar & cholesterol stabilizing effects. 

Soluble fiber can be found in beans, lentils, nuts, oat bran, barley, and some fruits & vegetables (apples, carrots, brussel sprouts, avocados, sweet potatoes, broccoli  etc.). Metamucil or other psyllium husk based non-fermentable soluble fiber supplements are often recommended to patients in our practice to help with constipation & diarrhea symptoms. 

Insoluble Fiber – This type of fiber acts like a filler material, helping food materials to pass easily through the bowel. It is recommended for those who have slow intestinal motility caused by a medical condition or medication side-effects. Insoluble fiber does not ferment in the gut and can be helpful for those who suffer from significant gassiness or bloating with foods. Due to it’s tendency to not absorb water, insoluble fiber is not an effective means to reduce diarrhea. 

Beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits & vegetables with skin are good food-based sources of insoluble fiber. Fiber supplements containing methylcellulose, such as citrucel are often recommended to patients in our practice to help relieve constipation.