**7. Fiber**

Dietary fibers may be divided into soluble (found in fruits, oats, barley, legumes and root vegetables) and insoluble (found in wheat, wheat bran, grains and some vegetables). Soluble fibers are mainly hemi-cellulose compounds that bind water, bile acids and build seques‐ tered forms with monosaccharides and disaccharides; thus, they partially inhibit the action of digestive enzymes and slow down the process of absorption of food by increasing the time of intestinal passage. This action lowers postprandial glycemia and total cholesterol levels. These fibers also reduce the levels of lipids, cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and body mass. Soluble fiber supplements such as pectin, fiber from carob can improve metabolic reg‐ ulation. Insoluble dietary fibers have little effect on blood glucose and no effects on lipids, but may increase satiety and inhibit hunger, and thus induce positive effects in obese pa‐ tients with diabetes (Dimitrijevic-Srećković V., 2002).
