Fiber has become a big topic of conversation at my household lately. Seems the little ones weren't getting enough of it, and it was affecting them quite adversely. So I have been researching and reading a lot of labels and came across both insoluble fiber and soluble fiber and I wanted to know the difference. I thought you might want to know too.

According to the American Heart Association soluble fiber can help to lower blood cholesterol, when eaten regularly as part of a healthy diet, of course. Oats have the highest proportion of this kind of fiber and oatmeal is great too. Beans, peas, rice bran, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries and apple pulp are all high in soluble fiber.

On the other hand, insoluble fiber doesn't seem to help lower blood cholesterol, but it keeps your guts moving for "proper bowel function." Whole-wheat breads, most grains, cabbage, beets, carrots, cauliflower and apple skin are all high in insoluble fiber.