Fiber foods help lose weight

Eating a high fiber diet can help you lose weight.

Obesity is less prevalent among people who eat food that are high in fiber. In addition to preventing obesity, eating fiber rich food has many other health benefits.

What is dietary fiber?

Fiber is an indigestible substance found in foods of plant origin. It is a different type of complex carbohydrate that cannot be digested by the body. So fiber found in our diet passes through the digestive tract unchanged.

Even though it is not digested by the body, fiber is an essential part of a healthy diet.

There are two types of fiber found in grains, fruits and vegetables.

Soluble fiber: This type of fiber can dissolved in water and become gel like substance.

Insoluble fiber: This type of fiber cannot be dissolved in water.

Both soluble and insoluble fibre have several health benefits including preventing excessive weight gain.

How does fiber help lose weight?

Fiber is not digested by the body. So it does not give you calories.

Eating high fiber food makes you feel full. It absorbs water in the gastro intestinal tract and become bulky. It fills much of your stomach.So you will quickly get the feeling of satiety. It will reduce the amount of food that you eat.

You need to chew fiber foods for long period of time. Prolong chewing gives signal to brain that you have eaten enough. It helps you resist eating more food than you need.

A diet high in fiber will have low energy density and low glycemic index (GI).

Energy density means the number of calories found in a given amount of food. High energy density means that there are lot of calories in small amount of food. The same amount of low energy density food will give you fewer calories.

Less number of calories in the diet helps you lose weight.

High fiber foods tend to take longer to digest. They deliver glucose more slowly. That means they have low glycemic index. Eating low glycemic diet produces a modest insulin response which helps reduce hunger. So, you tend to eat less that will help prevent excessive weight gain.

What should I eat to get more fiber?

The following foods are rich sources of fiber.

  • Wholemeal bread
  • Brown rice
  • Wholemeal pasta
  • Wholegrain breakfast cereals
  • Beans, lentils and peas
  • Vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, broccoli and spinach.
  • Fruits such as pears, apple, and banana

Do I need to take fiber supplements to avoid obesity?

It is recommended to eat foods naturally rich in dietary fiber. However, many people struggle to eat the recommended amount of fiber through their meals. Taking a fiber supplement may be a good choice for them.

In addition to reducing weight, it helps reduce your cholesterol level. Furthermore, it will assist you have a regular bowel motion.

Some facts about high fiber diet.

  • Diet rich in fiber containing grains, fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of some cancers.
  • Consumption of wholegrain products that are rich in soluble fiber can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
  • Incidence of obesity and type 2 diabetes are low among communities that consume predominantly vegetable based diet. 

Eating a fiber rich diet is a natural way to have a healthy body weight.