The difference and functions of soluble dietary fiber and insoluble dietary fiber

Dietary fiber is composed of non-starch polysaccharides, lignin, resistant oligosaccharides and resistant starch. It mainly refers to polysaccharides that cannot be digested by digestive enzymes in the human intestine and cannot be absorbed and utilized by the body (i.e. non-starch polysaccharides etc.), they mainly come from plant cell walls and include lignin in plant cells. As for dietary fiber in food, it can be considered to be composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin substances, hydrophilic colloids (gums, seaweed polysaccharides, mucilage Glue, etc.), resistant starch and resistant oligosaccharides.

Dietary fiber can be divided into soluble dietary fiber and insoluble dietary fiber according to its solubility at a specific pH during chemical extraction.

Soluble dietary fiber

Soluble dietary fiber, also known as water-soluble dietary fiber, is a type of fiber that is hydrophilic, absorbs water, holds water, has strong water absorption, can be dissolved in water, can absorb water and swell, and can be fermented by microorganisms in the large intestine. It is often found in plant cell fluids. And in the intercellular substance, there are mainly pectin, vegetable gum, mucilage, etc.

The role of soluble dietary fiber

Soluble dietary fiber has low energy and strong water absorption. It can make people feel full, prolong the time that food stays in the stomach, reduce food intake, and can excrete fat from the body to achieve the purpose of weight loss. It can also slow down the process of weight loss. The speed at which sugar is absorbed prevents blood sugar from rising sharply after a meal, which helps stabilize the condition of diabetic patients. Soluble fiber can also combine with bile acid and be excreted with feces, which can help lower cholesterol and reduce symptoms such as heart disease and high blood pressure caused by high cholesterol.

Daily foods such as: apples contain a large amount of pectin, kelp is rich in soluble dietary fiber, and chicory is a plant in nature that can provide a large amount of soluble dietary fiber and is known as a blood purifier and intestinal scavenger.

Insoluble dietary fiber

A type of fiber that cannot be dissolved in water and cannot be digested by microorganisms in the large intestine. It is often found in the roots, stems, trunks, leaves, skins, and fruits of plants. It mainly includes cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, etc.

The role of insoluble dietary fiber

The role of insoluble dietary fiber on the human body is to promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, speed up the time for food to pass through the gastrointestinal tract, and accelerate defecation, thereby reducing the time for harmful substances in the feces to come into contact with the intestines. In addition, insoluble fiber absorbs water in the large intestine, softens the stool, increases the volume of the stool, and can prevent constipation.

Insoluble dietary fiber mainly exists in wheat bran, nuts, vegetables, such as celery, whole grains, etc. Because it cannot be dissolved, it has a rough texture.

As can be seen from the above, soluble dietary fiber is of greater significance for weight loss and physical health, but most of the food we eat in our daily life is insoluble dietary fiber. If we like to eat refined foods and meat in our daily life and do not like to eat grains, fruits and vegetables, we need to supplement soluble dietary fiber to have a healthy and slim figure.