Does Fruit-Eze™ Contain Soluble
Fiber?
     Yes. The unique blend of prunes, raisins and dates makes delicious Fruit-Eze™ pure fruit blend a good source of both soluble and insoluble fibers. It can help your body to produce well formed (and moist) stools of good volume and texture that are flexible and easy to pass.

About Soluble Fiber
     Soluble fiber is found inside and around the structural material of cell walls in plants. It consists of pectin, gums (guar gum, gum arabic and locust bean gum), mucilage and some hemicelluloses. Soluble fiber dissolves in water. 
     Like insoluble fiber, soluble fiber is referred to as a "no-carbohydrate"
carbohydrate. These fibers pass through
the gastrointestinal tract mostly undigested
because we do not have the enzymes to break them down. Unlike insoluble fiber, soluble fibers are metabolized by healthy intestinal bacteria in the colon.
     Soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol
levels. Because soluble fiber may also
decrease blood sugar levels and may increase low insulin levels, soluble fiber may help diabetics in reducing the risk of
coronary artery disease.

Good Sources of Soluble Fiber:
      The flesh of fresh fruits and vegetables, certain grains, legumes and seeds are all good sources of soluble fiber.
     Though all plant cells contain both
soluble and insoluble fibers in varying amounts, some foods are more abundant in one type of fiber. Some foods especially rich in the soluble type of fiber are: apples,
apple sauce, pears, prunes, citrus fruits, strawberries, bananas, potatoes, kidney beans, baked beans, garbanzo beans,
lentils, navy beans, soy beans, peas,
spinach, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, baked potato, sweet potato, seaweed,
granola, oats, oatmeal, barley, rye, rice, psyllium seeds, and flax seeds. The highest concentration of soluble fiber is found in dried fruit.
     Sixteen examples of "soluble fiber rich" foods appear in the photos above: Italian
prunes, strawberries, orange, Fruit-Eze™, peaches, golden raisins, dates, granola,  sushi (rice & seaweed), baked beans,
various beans and grains, potatoes, yams, broccoli, peas, and carrots.

What Is the Function of Soluble Fiber in Stool Formation?
     The foods we eat are broken down into a liquid as they are digested. After the nutrients are absorbed, undigested particles of soluble fiber are passed along with left over particles as liquid waste (called feces) to the colon. It is the job of the colon to form stools (by extracting excess water from the liquid feces) and to eliminate the stools from the body.   
     Soluble fiber helps to make stools soft and flexible. In the colon, healthy bacteria ferment soluble fiber into a gel. As a stool is formed, some of this gel becomes incorporated into the stool mass. Once the gel is incorporated into the stool mass it helps to prevent the stool from becoming dry and hard (when stools are soft and flexible, they are easier to pass during a bowel movement).
     Gel not incorporated into the stool
lubricates the colon lining and coats the stools as they pass through the colon. This lubrication eases the passage of stool through the colon and eases passage during a bowel movement.
     Soft and flexible stools help to exercise the intestinal muscles. Together, lubrication and strong intestinal muscles produce a speedy stool transit time. Speedy stool transit time promotes regularity.

How Does Bacteria Use Soluble Fiber to Promote a Healthy Colon Lining?
 Acting as microscopic environmental engineers, healthy intestinal bacteria actually use soluble fiber to maintain an environment that simultaneously fosters their own growth and promotes the health of the colon lining.
     Healthy intestinal bacteria ferment
soluble fiber into a lubricating gel. As described in this article, some of the gel is
incorporated into stools making them soft and flexible. Leftover gel that is not incorporated into stools, moisturizes the colon lining.
     Healthy intestinal bacteria grow along this lining. A moisturized and healthy lining promotes their growth. Continued growth of healthy bacterial populations is necessary as multitudes of healthy bacteria are lost with the passage of each bowel movement. The health of the colon would deteriorate without the presence of the healthy bacteria.
     There are other benefits to maintaining a healthy colon lining. Healthy intestinal bacteria also help to maintain the health of the colon by helping to break down waste, by grooming waste particles from the surface of the colon and by fighting against infection. Furthermore, a moisturized colon lining can also do a better job of protecting the delicate nerve endings that extend down into the colon wall. When these nerve endings are protected, signals between the brain and the colon are more reliably transmitted and received. This neural activity affects muscular action, stool transit time, and regularity. Without reliable neural activity, the colon can become sluggish, stool transit time can slow and constipation may result.

Why Does Gas Tend to Increase With Soluble Fiber Intake?
     Eliminations by the growing bacteria temporarily cause gas. Once the population of bacteria has reached a certain population level, the gas usually subsides. Increased fluids, exercise and very gradual increases in dietary fiber intake may help reduce gas
production.

Can Fruit-Eze™ Help?
     Yes. The moist fibers of Fruit-Eze™ fruit blend can help you to produce well formed stools that are easy to pass.
     Achieve regularity, avoid constipation, and constipation leading to impaction with
Fruit-Eze™ pure fruit regularity blend.
                           Article by Carole Engel
                             Director of Outreach
                         © 2004 Fruit-Eze™, Inc.