SOLUBLE FIBER on NUTRITION INFORMATION
#211909 - 09/08/05 10:36 PM
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IWC
Reged: 09/08/05
Posts: 3
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Is Soluble Fiber listed on the nutrition information? The IBS diet claims that things such as rice and pasta are high in soluble fiber, but this is not consistent with the fiber count on the food packages? Do the products usually only list INsoluble fiber? What's the deal? Also, what is considered "high in soluble fiber". Like how many grams are we talking about?
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I also would be interested to see some input on this.
I often wondered the same thing.
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I know!
#211965 - 09/09/05 07:46 AM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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My box of white rice says 0 grams fiber and the white french bread also says 0 grams fiber...so it always confused me when I read in the books that these foods are good sources of SF.
The labels say they contain none...and I would think it would include SF if it had any. Cereals tend to separate IF from SF...so they include it in total fiber gram listed. 
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Quote:
Is Soluble Fiber listed on the nutrition information?
As a general rule it's not. Keep in mind the listing of fiber, whether it be soluble, insoluble or fiber in general, on your nutritional food labels is voluntary. Only basic information (calories, fat, ingredients, etc) has been mandated to be included on the label.
The IBS diet claims that things such as rice and pasta are high in soluble fiber, but this is not consistent with the fiber count on the food packages?
Unfortunately, sales of food products to the general public is not contingent on the fiber content listed. That is why it is often omitted or loosely stated or often false. Please read this and the entire thread from about 2 years ago. When a product is listed as having NO fiber, say white rice, it is counting, yes, only INsoluble fiber, but in truth it is about 50% IF and 50% SF. Same with plain oatmeal. This is why SFS (which are ALL soluble) are so important- because it gives you the good soluble fiber base which is easier on the gut in general, and helps regulate motility for both C's and D's.
Do the products usually only list INsoluble fiber? Most times, yes. What's the deal? The "deal" is there is no money in it for food companies or food chemists to spend time on determining how much SF and how much IF is in a food. I assume it is much easier to determine how much IF a basic food has in it than soluble fiber because when the food with a high SF content is exposed to a liquid, it absorbs that liquid and it's chemical make up is changed. You have two things going on here with a soluble fiber food...it's ability to absorb moisture..and how it is broken down when it is cooked or cut -- the "smushable factor" if you will. Also, what is considered "high in soluble fiber". Like how many grams are we talking about? It depends. If you are talking about supplements that list grams, it will state it right on the label, pretty much with accuracy as far as I know. Their business depends on it. Because soluble fiber has had the reputation to lower cholesterol (and that's a big deal right now), products like plain oatmeal will boast being high in SF, but if you read the label you'll notice it has a considerable amount of both IF and SF.
I wouldn't get to excited about what many labels say..especially if you are shooting for high SF foods....You'll get better information right here on which foods are high in SF.
Hope this helps a little.
Kandee
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the FDA defines dietary fiber as: "Nonstarch polysaccharides and lignin that are not digested by enzymes in the small intestine. Dietary fiber typically refers to nondigestable carbohydrates from plant foods."
that sounds a lot to me like it includes SF & IF. so how can a food have 0 dietary fiber and still have SF?
in another chart, listing sources of dietary fiber, skinless sweetpotato, bananas, and other SF foods from the diet are listed, so it really seems like the nutrition labels are counting SF & IF. (there's also a comparison of DF in whole wheat & white flour - for 100g, 12g in whole wheat, 3 in white. so i guess there is some in white bread, if just a very small amount.)
i really think that although white bread is not a simple-carbohydrate food, it's mostly starch (which is a polysaccharide, right?), but not SF.
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jaime
ibs-a (mostly d) // vegetarian
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...it means no SF either? That's what I'm assuming. And if the sourdough at the bakery lists 0 grams under fiber content, that also contains no fiber at all?
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Thank you very much for that VERY informative piece. I suppose as a healthy eater, I have become very reliant on food labels. I know now that for the sort-of healthy I need, I should not do that any more. Thank you.
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