Fiber and the tricky count of carbs on labels

FUN FACT: FIBER CAN LOWER YOUR CHOLESTEROL!

This one is a little confusing. Fiber, specifically soluble fiber, reduces the bile that is reabsorbed in the GI tract. Bile is a substance produced by the liver and excreted by the gallbladder that helps us absorb dietary fats. Bile is made in the liver using cholesterol. It is stored in the gallbladder and released when there is fat in the GI tract to be absorbed. Dietary fiber prevents the re-absorption of bile in the GI tract (we can re-use bile so we don’t have to keep making it), causing it to be excreted in our fecal matter. The liver is forced to use the cholesterol in our blood to produce more bile, thus decreasing our overall blood cholesterol. 

http://www.responsiblefoods.org/fiber_is_our_friend_by_shannon_burke?hash=eaa27f61-3cfb-43c4-8bbe-8cbcf9a14607