Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Misinformation re: soluble vs. insoluble fiber

I just thought I'd pass along this article that talks about soluble vs. insoluble fiber, and the benefits of each one. I know there is so much misinformation out there about these two types of fibers, and this article pretty much sums it up. For example, it says: "Insoluble fiber attacts and holds water in the large bowel resulting in soft and bulky stools. It improves symptoms of constipation, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, IBS, and other gastrointestinal disorders." WHAT??? That's not been my experience!

It also lists some high fiber foods, including fruits and vegetables, and says "the skins have soluble fiber, the insides insoluble." Again...WHAT??? This goes against everything we've been taught about IBS. No wonder more and more people suffer from it and don't get any relief if this is the kind of information they are fed (no pun intended). Here's the link for the article if anyone is interested: http://www.glutenfreeinsd.com/about_fiber.html.

I have seen many different Internet articles from relatively reliable sources that say insoluble fiber is the best thing to aid in digestion...why is it that the "experts" get it so wrong? Or am I missing something? It gets really frustrating, especially when trying to explain it to folks who then question why you can't eat certain foods.

This article must have used Web MD as its source, because I found very similiar verbiage on one of their articles about fiber: http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/lifestyle-guide-11/supplement-guide-fiber

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on this huge misconception about soluble vs. insoluble fiber.

Edited by Laurel M (02/26/14 12:43 PM)

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