It is an undisputed fact that Fiber is an essential nutritient for many reasons, but Fiber also has some great benefits for those of us who want to lose weight.
What is Fiber?
First off, it is important to know what fiber actually is and why it is healthy for us. Fiber is actually the indigestible part of the plant or vegetables that we eat.
2 Types Of Fiber: Soluble and Insoluble
Soluble fibers are fibers that dissolve easily in water. The benefit of having this type of fiber is that it makes digestion much slower and thus one will feel full for a longer time period.
Insoluble fiber on the other hand, does not dissolve, but passes through the body in the same or near same state. The insoluble fiber helps the body stay healthy by removing fats and toxins from the body.
Benefits of Fiber For Weight Loss
Eating fibrous food is actually good for the body; however, it is important to note that one should not concentrate on one type of fiber in order to get the desired result.
Varying the type as well as the amount of fiber prevents the body from relapsing as well as ensuring that the body gets the nutrients and minerals that it needs.
1. Natural Appetite Suppresant
One of the benefits of fiber is that it is a natural appetite suppressant. Unlike diet drugs that contain chemicals, which might be harmful to your overall health, natural plant fiber consumption is ideal.
2. Eat Less And Feel Full
Fibrous food slows down the digestion rate in people, which is the reason why many feel full after eating only a little bit of Fiber rich foods. Eating different portions with fibrous food more than any other food groups would prevent one from feeling hunger pangs as well as experience food cravings, which, as we all know, contribute to excessive eating.
3. More Energy
It has no calories. Fibrous food does not have calories in them and with that, replacing several food groups or limiting the consumption of other food groups will give you the energy that you need without having the excess calories to contend with.
Fiber consumption also ensures that you can do any activity much longer as you have extra energy stored and you will not get hungry as much.
4. Fiber Absorbs Fats
Fiber also helps to absorb fats, which can be detrimental to your health as fats clog the heart which can lead to to cardiac arrest for many women and men.
Overeating is also prevented, which is one of the hidden culprits for many diets that fail. Eating fibrous food tends to be more time consuming, as you need to chew the food longer than other food groups. The longer you chew the food, the more you will feel full and thus you will not overeat.
5. Fiber Versus Carbs
Another benefit of eating fiber is that it can serve as replacement for carbohydrates. Carbohydrates, especially from refined sugars, can turn into blood sugar, which can spike up your energy for a limited time but leave you all worn out later on.
Having a high blood sugar is not advisable and causes problems not only for people diagnosed with diabetes but as well as for regular people.
When the brain determins that the body has sufficient energy, it closes down the metabolism of the person that is consuming food. The metabolism is responsible for burning fats to turn these into energy.
The sudden shutdown as well as the spike in the insulin causes the body to feel more exhausted and thus overeating occurs along with the increase in cravings for sweets. This is the reason why many have failed to lose weight and this can become a rollercoaster of events. It never stops unless one is aware of it.
Make Fiber Work For You
Now that you know how fiber works and how it can optimize your weight loss goal, it is time to start making it work for you. Before you start though, it is important that you need to know the do’s and don’ts to ensure that you get the full benefits.
Overdoing it can cost you as too much of everything is bad. Too much fiber in the body can lead to the body being unable to absorb nutrients. Consuming too much fiber can also lead to constipation.
The best possible way to make fiber work for you is to choose plant-based fiber. These types of fiber are healthy and contain higher dosage of minerals and vitamins as well. Supplements are okay; however, there might be other ingredients that might not be absorbed nor beneficial to your body so the best thing to do is to only choose natural and, if possible, organic ones.
To ensure that you get the most out of fiber, always drink plenty of water with fiber. The water will help ensure that you do not get dehydrated and can prevent constipation.
Fiber Rich Foods
Veggies
- Acorn Squash
- Lima beans
- Mushrooms
- Peas (black-eyed peas, green peas)
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Green Beans
- Summer Squash
- Carrot
- Chick Peas/Garbanzo Beans
- Eggplant
- Greens (collards, kale, turnip greens)
- Peppers
- Spinach
Beans
- Kidney beans
- Navy beans
- White beans
- Mung beans
- Lima beans
- Adzuki beans
- Black beans
- Garbanzo beans
- Yellow beans
- Pinto beans
Fruits
- Apples
- Avocado
- Bananas
- Berries
- Elderberries
- Guava
- Kiwi
- Prunes
Other High Fiber Foods
- Corn bran
- Bran Cereals
- Whole Grain Bread
- Nuts (Pinon, Flaxseed, Almonds, Peanuts, Cashews, Walnuts)
Amy is an avid fitness buff that enjoys working out and staying healthy by learning about fitness from sites like Fit Bods.
Photo credits: Guest blogging community, smith_cl9 and zbigphotography
Tags: appetite suppressant, beans, benefits, fiber, fiber foods, fiber rich foods, foods with fiber, fruits, grains, health, healthy, high fiber foods, nutrition, vegetables, weight loss, weightloss
Really useful post. Someone was asking me about Spelt the other day and while I know it’s a high fibre product, I really didn’t know how to explain what that meant in terms of diet
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