“Dietary fiber (in British English fibre) or roughage is the portion of plant-derived food that cannot be completely broken down by human digestive enzymes.[1] Dietary fibers are diverse in chemical composition, and can be grouped generally by their solubility, viscosity, and fermentability, which affect how fibers are processed in the body.[2] Dietary fiber has two main components: soluble fiber and insoluble fiber, which are components of plant-based foods, such as legumes, whole grains and cereals, vegetables, fruits, and nuts or seeds.[2][3] A diet high in regular fiber consumption is generally associated with supporting health and lowering the risk of several diseases.[2][4] Dietary fiber consists of non-starch polysaccharides and other plant components such as cellulose, resistant starch, resistant dextrins, inulin, lignins, chitins (in fungi), pectins, beta-glucans, and oligosaccharides.[1][2][3]”*
Fibers are classified into soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in liquid and becomes like a “gel”. It provides cohesion and helps to create a homogeneous mass in our stomach. Insoluble fiber remains mostly intact and provides structure to the mass in our digestivbe track. Together it is believed that they support both pre-biotic and pro-biotic processes in our system.
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_fiber