Soluble v. Insoluble Fiber…What's the difference?

So when people find out I have food restrictions the top question I get is, "…So what can't you eat?"  It is honestly easier these days to say what I can eat. If everyone understood (including me) the difference between insoluble and soluble fiber, life would be much easier.  So, here is the simple breakdown:

Soluble Fiber 

Soluble fiber is my "good fiber" for me.  For others, not so much.  Soluble means that it can be dissolved in water (i.e. easily digestible).  I've learned that it is important for me to always eat soluble fiber first, before anything else because its helps kickstart my digestive process and therefore helps the other foods I eat digest more easily.



So what kinds of foods are high in soluble fiber?

• Rice
• Barley
• Root Veggies (carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips, potatoes)
• Squash
• Mushrooms
• Avocados
• You can learn more about soluble fiber here.  

Whenever my tummy is super irritated from things like crazy holiday foods, the best thing for me to do "reset" and go back to the basics to calm everything back down. I love to make roasted squash and carrots.  It's simple, real food that tastes great, is full of nutrients, and helps my body get back to normal. 

Insoluble Fiber

Insoluble fiber is my "bad fiber".  Yes…insoluble fiber is really, super, awesomely good for a healthy diet.  For me…it just means that I will lay in bed all day curled into a tiny ball.  The best way I've learned to teach someone about insoluble fiber is that insoluble fiber is the hard, rough, stringy inside of  plant food, or the tough skin, hull, peel, or pod on the the outside of the plant food.  In addition, nuts and seeds are very high in insoluble fiber.

So what kinds of food are high in insoluble fiber?

• Cruciferous veggies (cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, etc)
• Bell peppers (my most favorite..ugh)
• Corn (including popcorn)
• Beans
• Celery
• Greens (spinach, arugula, etc)
• Oranges, grapes, pineapple
• Green beans
• You can learn more about insoluble fiber here.

So yea - you read that right.  ALL the delicious, healthy, eat-all-you-want-and-lose-weight veggies, are banned from my diet.  Not to mention, those were my favorite foods!  How many of you reading this remember me munching on a delicious baggie of cut up bell peppers? Have I ever forced you into trying my delicious roasted cabbage wheels?  As you could imagine, this revelation was a HUGE change in my life (as well as my husband's - considering I do most of the grocery shopping and cooking).

Included in my research, I have also learned that there ways to incorporate the "bad for me fiber" that I NEED into my diet.  I eat ALOT of peas.  Yes…peas.  They really have a bad rap..try them with a little EVOO, fresh garlic, carrots, and onions…and you've got my standard, every night of the week green veggie.  I've also learned recently that green beans (if cooked really, really, really, well done) are okay on my tummy too (OH MY HEART I love green beans so. stinkin. much.).  

I'll post recipes for these two delicious side green dishes soon.