Healthy Food Choices for Soluble Fiber

Soluble fiber is important for maintaining regularity in digestion. Try these tips for buying soluble fiber in this healthy shopping video.

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Mix soluble fiber with water to make gel
Improve cholesterol, blood sugar levels with soluble fiber
Consume 25g of fiber daily
Know fiber sources

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Michelle Cooper has been a registered dietician for more than 10 years. She currently works for the state of North Carolina for the New Hanover County School District in the Child Nutrition Department as the supervising registered dietician on staff. She specializes in child nutrition, child fitness and overall child health. She enjoys her job because it allows her to be a pivotal piece of child development.

MICHELLE COOPER: Next, we're going to talk about soluble fiber. There are basically two types of fiber in your diet. One is soluble which will form a gel when mixed with water, and one is insoluble which is not soluble in water. The main purpose of the soluble fiber is that by forming the gel it stays in your bloodstream and can actually lower your LDL or your harmful blood cholesterol levels while raising your good HDL or good cholesterol levels. A second benefit to having soluble fiber in your diet is that when you eat sources of soluble fiber it helps to decrease the rise in your blood glucose level which also would help decrease the rise in the insulin level, so that you stay full for a longer period of time without getting that sharp peak of insulin. So if you're diabetic or you're controlling your weight, this is especially important. But overall, soluble fiber can help everybody lower their risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering your LDL or bad cholesterol. It's recommended that you get about 25 grams of total fiber a day. Don't worry so much if it's soluble or insoluble. They both have benefits. But choose sources that are mostly from oats which is a good source of soluble fiber and certain vegetables and fruits, and just try to aim for about 25 grams a day. Or if you're reading the food label, you can look at the percentage of fiber that it provides as part of the RDA.

Healthy Food Choices for Soluble Fiber Video

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