Understanding Soluble Vs Insoluble Fibre: What’s the difference
By Nmami Agarwal 22-Apr 2023 Reading Time: 5 Mins
Have you heard health influencers talk about high-fibre and low-fibre diets? Confused and want to know what it actually means? Check out this space to know more about fibre.
Dietary fibre consists of non-digestible forms of carbohydrates, usually polysaccharides originating from plant-based foods.
The classification of dietary fibre stems from water solubility. Broadly, there are two main types of dietary fibre: soluble and insoluble. The main sources of soluble fibre are fruits and vegetables.
Conversely, cereals and whole-grain products provide sources of insoluble fibre.Â
However, most naturally available high-fibre foods contain variable amounts of both soluble and insoluble fibre.Â
Although fermentation (through the action of the gut microbiota) of most dietary fibre occurs within the gastrointestinal tract to some extent, the fermentation of soluble fibre tends to occur more readily than that for insoluble cereal fibres.
There’s more to know about the differences between soluble and insoluble fibre.
. | SOLUBLE FIBRE | INSOLUBLE FIBRE |
1. | As the name suggests, it dissolves in water and forms a gel-like material. | They are insoluble in water and usually cannot undergo fermentation by bacteria in the colon. |
2.
3. |
Sources:
Soluble dietary fibre can be easily accessed and metabolised by fibre-degrading microorganisms in the intestine and produce a series of beneficial and functional metabolites. |
Sources:Â
Insoluble dietary fibre cannot be easily metabolised. |
4. | Soluble dietary fibres have the effect of promoting the proliferation of specific probiotics (bacteria)Â | Insoluble dietary fibres do not act upon probiotics. |
5. | Soluble dietary fibre slows gastric emptying, increases perceived satiety and plays a significant role in appetite regulation. | Insoluble dietary fibre
promotes the movement of material through your digestive system and increases stool bulk, so it can be of benefit to those who struggle with constipation or irregular stools. |
Both soluble and insoluble fibre has benefits such as:
- Satiety
- Regulating blood sugar level
- Relieving constipation
- Reduces cholesterol levels in the blood
So do include both soluble & insoluble fibres in your diet?
How to incorporate fibre into our daily diet?
- Include the peels of vegetables like bottle gourd, ridge gourd pumpkin, and raw mango in chutney preparation.
- Include millet flour with wheat flour while preparing roti. Do not sieve millet flour as it will lead to loss of fibre.
- Include a minimum of three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit daily.
- Include fruits, vegetables, or both with every meal. For instance, include fruit with breakfast and vegetables with lunch and dinner.
- Eat pulses (the seeds of plants in the legume family), such as beans, lentils, and peas and green leafy vegetables like spinach, fenugreek(methi), and amaranth leaves at least three times a week.
- Include nuts, seeds, and fruit for snacks. Or add them to other foods like yoghurt, oatmeal, salads, and stir-fries.
- With fibre, it is essential to include sufficient fluids to allow fibre to pass through the digestive tract and avoid digestive distress.