Solubility has been used as a general descriptor to classify how fiber might behave in the body. In the past, soluble fibers were associated with aiding blood sugar control and lowering cholesterol. In contrast, insoluble fibers were thought to help with bowel movement frequency and stool bulking.
While there are some truths in those associations, fiber categories are a bit more nuanced and complex beyond just solubility.
Three better characteristics to consider when evaluating isolated fiber types and their impact on the body include: fermentability, viscosity, and bulking. 2, 6
But that can get a bit complicated (we know!).
So for now, let's take a simple look at soluble vs insoluble fiber foods and see the fiber content in 43 popular high fiber foods.
As you'll see in the table below...the interesting thing...is all foods high in fiber have a bit of BOTH soluble and insoluble fiber.
List of Insoluble and Soluble Fiber Content of Foods
|
Source |
Dietary Fiber (g/ 100g edible portion) |
||
|
Total Fiber |
Insoluble |
Soluble |
|
Grains |
|||
|
Oats |
10.3 |
6.5 |
3.8 |
|
Rice (dry) |
1.3 |
1.0 |
0.3 |
|
Rice (cooked) |
0.7 |
0.7 |
0.0 |
|
Wheat (whole grain) |
12.6 |
10.2 |
2.3 |
|
Wheat Germ |
14.0 |
12.9 |
1.1 |
Legumes and Pulses |
|||
|
Green Beans |
1.9 |
1.4 |
0.5 |
|
Peas, green, frozen |
3.5 |
3.2 |
0.3 |
|
Kidney beans, canned |
6.3 |
4.7 |
1.6 |
|
Lentils, raw |
11.4 |
10.3 |
1.1 |
|
Lima beans, canned |
4.2 |
3.8 |
0.4 |
|
White beans, raw |
17.7 |
13.4 |
4.3 |
Vegetables |
|||
|
Potato, no skin |
1.3 |
1.0 |
0.3 |
|
Bitter gourd |
16.6 |
13.5 |
3.1 |
|
Beetroot |
7.8 |
5.4 |
2.4 |
|
Fenugreek leaves |
4.9 |
4.2 |
0.7 |
|
Spinach, raw |
2.6 |
2.1 |
0.5 |
|
Turnips |
2.0 |
1.5 |
0.5 |
|
Tomato, raw |
1.2 |
0.8 |
0.4 |
|
Green onions, raw |
2.2 |
2.2 |
0.0 |
|
Eggplant |
6.6 |
5.3 |
1.3 |
|
Cucumbers, peeled |
0.6 |
0.5 |
0.1 |
|
Cauliflower, raw |
1.8 |
1.1 |
0.7 |
|
Celery, raw |
1.5 |
1.0 |
0.5 |
|
Carrot, raw |
2.5 |
2.3 |
0.2 |
|
Broccoli, raw |
3.29 |
3.00 |
0.29 |
Fruits |
|||
|
Apple, unpeeled |
2.0 |
1.8 |
0.2 |
|
Kiwi |
3.39 |
2.61 |
0.8 |
|
Mango |
1.8 |
1.06 |
0.74 |
|
Pineapple |
1.2 |
1.1 |
0.1 |
|
Pomegranate |
0.6 |
0.49 |
0.11 |
|
Watermelon |
0.5 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
|
Grapes |
1.2 |
0.7 |
0.5 |
|
Oranges |
1.8 |
0.7 |
1.1 |
|
Plums |
1.6 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
|
Strawberry |
2.2 |
1.3 |
0.9 |
|
Bananas |
1.7 |
1.2 |
0.5 |
|
Peach |
1.9 |
1.0 |
0.9 |
|
Pear |
3.0 |
2.0 |
1.0 |
Nuts and Seeds |
|||
|
Almonds |
11.2 |
10.1 |
1.1 |
|
Coconut, raw |
9.0 |
8.5 |
0.5 |
|
Peanut, dry, roasted |
8.0 |
7.5 |
0.5 |
|
Sesame seed |
7.79 |
5.89 |
1.90 |
|
Flaxseed |
22.33 |
10.15 |
12.18 |