Fiber - I need to know more about Fiber and how it works?

I will look at the label on food thinking I bet this has lots of fiber and it won't then the opposite will happen I will think the item should have 0 fiber and it will be loaded 4+ fiber. Is there characteristic that will identify fiber in foods?

Actually, there are two types of dietary fiber: soluble and insoluble. The above mentioned fibrous foods are in the insoluble category. Insoluble fiber is fiber that will not be dissolved in a liquid. Soluble fiber dissolves in a liquid. Most vegetables and grains and some fruits contain insoluble fiber which is good for cleaning and maintaining the gut. Soluble fiber is good for weight management, and the cardiovascular system. It is also beneficial in lowering LDL (bad cholesterol) and increasing HDL (good cholesterol) Many fruits have soluble fiber.

Here is a site that gives examples of both types of fiber: http://www.healthcastle.com/fiber-solubl...

Most processed foods have had the fiber removed. Good luck and I hope the site helps.

If the package says "whole grain" or "100% whole wheat" or "100% whole grain" on it, the product should have a decent amount of fiber per serving and you should also see it listed in the ingredient list. A label that says "wheat bread" and the bread is brown doesn't necessarily mean there's any fiber. White flour is wheat flour and the brown-ness could be coming from food dye or other additives. Keep in mind that products that contain whole wheat or whole grain can sometimes also contain refined white flour. The only way to know for sure is to read the label. While you're looking at the fiber content, you should also be checking for hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup. You don't want that nasty stuff in your food.

In general, products made of whole grains in pre- prepared foods has more fiber. Whole grains like grams (like beans, soy, lentils,etc.) and oats, brown rice, raw vegetables and fruits have a lot of fiber. Any processed product has very little to none. White flour, white rice, white pasta, white bread, etc. are all refined or processed. That's the only characteristic I can think of to identify less fiber.

When you eat more fiber, it explands in your stomach and keeps you feeling full longer. It also helps the body with additional absorption capability of vitamins, minerals, etc. and with elimination of waste.

Hope this helps you find more foods with fiber!