Fiber

Fiber is found in the stems, seeds and leaves of plants. It is made up of chains of sugar but humans do not have the enzymes in their digestive tract to be able to break these chains down. A small amount of the fiber can be broken down by the enzymes of the bacteria that live in the human digestive tract. Most of the fiber, however, is not broken down and goes out of the body in the feces. The solubility of the fiber determines its health benefit. Fiber found in food is usually a mixture of both soluble and insoluble fiber, while purified fiber supplements may contain just one type of fiber. Dietary sources of fiber are plentiful. Fruits, vegetables, seeds and legumes contain both types of fiber. Wheat bran, brown rice and whole grains are excellent sources of insoluble fiber. Supple-mental sources of fiber include psylium, methylcellulose or polycarbophil as well as fiber extracted from fruits, vegetables and grains.  - www.supplementwatch.com