Monday, January 31, 2022

The importance of fiber in weight loss

Fiber refers to carbohydrates that cannot be digested by human gut. Though most carbohydrates are broken down into sugar molecules, fiber cannot be broken down into sugar molecules. It is classified as either soluble or insoluble, depending on whether it dissolves in water (soluble) or not (insoluble).

Soluble fiber: It can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Soluble fiber is found in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium.

Insoluble fiber: This fiber promotes the movement of material through digestive system and increases stool bulk. Good sources of insoluble fiber include - whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts, beans, whole grain couscous, brown rice and vegetables, such as cauliflower, green beans and potatoes

Most people in the United States do not get enough fiber from their diets. According to some estimates, only 5% of the population meet the adequate intake recommendations.

Dietary fiber — found mainly in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes — is probably best known for its ability to prevent or relieve constipation. Furthermore, foods containing fiber also can help to maintain a healthy weight and lowering risk of diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer.

It was reported that people who added more of it to their diets -- without changing anything else -- lost almost as much weight as people who followed the heart-healthy, low-fat eating plan recommended by the American Heart Association.

In one study published The Journal of Nutrition (Volume 149, Issue 10, October 2019) in researchers concluded that people who increased their dietary fiber intake increased their weight loss and adherence to their dietary caloric restriction.

Fiber-rich foods not only fill-up faster and keep the person satisfied longer, they also prevent his body from absorbing some of the calories in the foods that being eaten. Soluble fiber helps keep human gut bacteria healthy and promotes overall fat loss by reducing the appetite.

High-fiber foods tend to be more filling than low-fiber foods, so you're likely to eat less and stay satisfied longer. And high-fiber foods tend to take longer to eat and to be less "energy dense," which means they have fewer calories for the same volume of food.

A study published in Annals of Internal Medicine (Feb 2015) suggests that something as simple as aiming to eat 30 grams of fiber each day can help the person to lose weight, lower his blood pressure, and improve the body’s response to insulin just as effectively as a more complicated diet.
The importance of fiber in weight loss

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