Soluble fiber refers to cell wall components, the fraction of dietary fiber, that are soluble in water. They include pectin, some hemicelluloses, beta-glucans, fructans, oligosaccharides, guar and gums.
Soluble fiber slows down gastric emptying and extends fullness. Once it reaches the colon, it is broken down by bacteria into gas and short chain fatty acids.
The following table contains soluble fiber content in a list of foods including vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts and seeds. Flaxseed (linseed) has high soluble fiber content, in general. Among the foods listed below it has the highest of all.
| Soluble Fiber Food Source | Soluble Fiber Content (grams/100 grams) |
|---|---|
| Vegetables | |
| Artichoke, cooked | 3.93 |
| Carrots, raw | 1.50 |
| Broccoli | 1.02 |
| Egg plant, cooked | 0.70 |
| Tomato, paste | 0.82 |
| Tomato, raw | 0.40 |
| Potato, no skin | 0.30 |
| Celery | 0.58 |
| Spinach, raw | 0.50 |
| Legumes | |
| Soybeans | 1.89 |
| Lima beans | 3.70 |
| Kidney beans | 3.20 |
| Cowpeas | 0.54 |
| Lentils | 0.60 |
| Fruits | |
| Banana, 1 medium | 0.60 |
| Blueberry | 1.00 |
| Kiwi | 0.20 |
| Strawberry | 0.60 |
| Orange | 1.40 |
| Pear | 1.00 |
| Peach | 0.90 |
| Plums | 0.90 |
| Apple, unpeeled | 0.20 |
| Mango | 0.74 |
| Nuts and Seeds | |
| Almonds | 1.10 |
| Brazil nuts | 1.30 |
| Flax seeds | 12.18 |
| Sesame seeds | 1.89 |
| Sun flower seeds | 2.10 |
| Ginger root, powder | 0.79 |
| Peanuts, dry roasted | 0.50 |
Dietary fiber related links:
Total dietary fiber, soluble fiber, insoluble fiber content of foods
Definitions of dietary fiber food.
List of high fiber food: vegetables and fruits
List of low fiber foods
Dietary fiber: Recommended Daily Reference Intakes (DRIs, RDAs) for fiber
Source of soluble fiber content data:
Spiller, G. A. 2001.The CRC Handbook of Dietary Fiber in Human Nutrition. 3 ed. CRC Press, London.
Devinder Dhingra, Mona Michael, Hradesh Rajput, and R. T. Patil (2012). Dietary fibre in foods: a review. J Food Sci Technol. 2012 Jun; 49(3): 255–266.