07/24/2025
Soluble fiber vs insoluble fiber ✨ do you know the difference?
Both are important and one is not necessarily “better” than the other! But incorporating a higher ratio of soluble:insoluble fiber or vice versa can help to improve certain GI symptoms and medical conditions.
Soluble fiber forms a gel in our GI tract, slowing transit time. This means food moves thru the GI tract more slowly, allowing the colon to absorb more water.
Insoluble fiber speeds up GI transit time and does not absorb water, so eating a diet high in insoluble fiber causes food to move through the GI tract more quickly.
Soluble fiber can help lower cholesterol 📉 by binding with bile in the GI tract so it’s excreted. Our body then uses its own cholesterol to make more bile.
Insoluble fiber may help protect against diverticulosis by providing resistance against the walls of the colon, strengthening the muscle 💪 and lowering pressure inside the colon.
When working with clients, I often recommend specific foods to increase or decrease the ratio of soluble:insoluble fiber in the diet and in some cases, recommend certain fiber supplements to achieve a therapeutic effect depending on someone’s specific concerns. 🌱 💊
Have any fiber questions? Drop them below! ⬇️
