DIETARY FIBER & WEIGHT LOSS

Dieters are bombarded every day with new ways to shed their unwanted pounds, but research suggests that they should also consider placing greater emphasis on fiber in their diet.

According research, increasing consumption of dietary fiber with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes across the life cycle is a critical step in stemming the epidemic of obesity found in developed countries.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to consume more calories to increase your fiber intake. In fact, if you’re selective at the supermarket, you can easily double your fiber intake and actually lower the amount of calories you consume.

Just take a look at the facts: One slice of whole-grain bread contains 2 grams of fiber and 69 calories. That’s 1 gram of fiber more than your average slice of white bread and 50 calories less. Similarly, one mashed potato contains only 1.7 grams of fiber and a whopping 999 calories while one small boiled potato (with skin) has 2.8 grams of fiber and only 338 calories.

But there’s more:

Foods high in fiber often require more chewing, so a person is unable to eat a large number of calories in a short amount of time. And, due to its water-absorbing abilities, fiber will make you feel full for a long time.

When soluble fiber combines with water, it swells the stomach giving a greater feeling that hunger has been satisfied without adding those dreaded calories. Fiber also slows the digestion process resulting in feelings of hunger occurring less frequently and providing our bodies the time needed to properly absorb nutrients.

That’s soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber cannot be digested by the human digestive system and, as it passes through the colon, it takes with it all the accumulated metabolic waste material – the stuff that makes us fat.

A fiber-rich diet is also likely to be richer in nutrients than a low-fiber diet because fiber is found mainly in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds - all very healthy foods and great for weight loss.

As such, dietary fiber is a very important link in the weightloss puzzle – it’s a dieter’s dream come true.

So, the next time your about to hop on the diet roller coaster, forget the fad and grab some fiber instead.