Raw foods, both fruits and vegetables, provide high quantities of fiber.  We have all heard about the benefits of fiber: keeps your digestive system moving, prevents certain diseases like cancer and keeps weight under control.  Recommended intake of fiber is 25g per day, which should come from at least 5 different servings of fruits and vegetables as well as 6 servings of grain products – half of which should be whole grain.

There are two types of fiber found in raw foods: Soluble and Insoluble Fiber.  It is important to understand the functions, benefits and sources of both types.  Both soluble and insoluble fiber can not be digested or absorbed into the bloodstream, but is still fundamental to the digestive process.  Here’s how:

Soluble Fiber
Soluble fiber binds with fatty acids and prolongs stomach emptying time so that sugar is released and absorbed more slowly.  This helps regulate blood sugar, i.e. no immediate sugar highs and crashing lows.  People with diabetes should consider soluble fiber as an essential element of their diabetes management or regulation plan.
Soluble fiber also has been associated with lowering total cholesterol and the now famously bad LDL cholesterol, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease.

Include soluble fiber in your diet by adding Oats, Oat Bran, Dried Beans and Peas, Nuts, Barley, Flax Seed, Fruits such as Oranges and Apples, and Vegetables such as Carrots.

Insoluble Fiber
Insoluble fiber moves bulk through the intestines which aids regular bowel movements and prevents constipation.  It also helps control or balance the pH (acidity) level in our intestines by removing toxic waste through the colon in less time.  Maintaining an optimal level of pH within the intestines helps prevent microbes from producing cancerous substances which in turn prevents colon cancer.

Include insoluble fiber in your diet by adding Vegetables such as Green Beans, Spinach, Kale, Fruit and Root Vegetable Skins, and Whole Wheat products.