Dietary fiber comes from plant-based foods your body cannot digest. It exists in two varieties: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber, which is dispersible in water, forms a gel-like substance that slows down digestion.

If you're taking psyllium, you may notice gastrointestinal side effects. Psyllium husk, a type of soluble fiber, can cause bloating, flatulence or increased belching. Sypmtoms are generally not severe and can be minimized by taking smaller doses until you adjust to the fiber.

Dietary fiber, although mostly indigestible within your body, plays a crucial role in maintaining different aspects of your overall health. It's a type of carbohydrate found in plant foods that helps maintain proper digestion, cholesterol levels and body weight.

Even though psyllium is a very effective laxative, it's actually a soluble fiber, which is unusual because soluble fibers are not known for laxative abilities -- a job that falls to insoluble fiber. In addition to it's laxative abilities, psyllium provides all the same benefits as soluble fibers.

Fiber supplements augment your stool bulk, which helps keep your bowels moving regularly. Dietary or supplemental fiber also traps a portion of the cholesterol in your intestines, which may reduce your total blood cholesterol level.

Fiber is an important part of the diet. Some foods, such as Fiber One bars, contain extra fiber as a way of helping you get all of the fiber you need to maintain the health of your digestive tract. However, some people may develop gas as a consequence of the fiber in these bars.

Fiber is an important part of digestive health and can also reduce your risk for serious conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Like most fruits, pumpkin contains a good dose of fiber.

Fiber consists of the carbohydrates that are not broken down or absorbed by your digestive tract. Because increasing your dietary fiber can benefit your body in many ways, many manufacturers have begun to add fiber sources, such as inulin, to their products to boost the fiber content.

It is safe to take psyllium husk while you are nursing as long as you drink plenty of fluids. Psyllium husk is the outer coating of mucilage around the seed of the Plantago ovata plant, which is grown primarily in India.

When many people think of spinach, they immediately visualize the canned, mushy, sometimes unpleasantly flavored vegetable that Popeye slurped down. The reality is that spinach is a versatile lettuce that's a true nutritional powerhouse. Part of spinach's nutritional power comes from fiber.

Fiber is a kind of carbohydrate that is not absorbed by the body. Although fiber is an important part of the diet, some people feel ill or develop discomfort when they consume foods that are high in fiber. If you feel sick after eating fiber, there are ways you can help your system adjust to high fiber foods.

You've probably heard the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Indeed, choosing the right foods in the morning can help get your day off to a great start. Most people don't get enough fiber for breakfast or at any meal, according to the American Dietetic Association.