Eat More Fiber for Faster Weight Loss

For success in weight loss, forget calorie counting and portion size. Just remember to add 30 – 40 grams of fiber in your diet.

If you’re struggling with weight loss, like millions, fiber is the key to success. High fiber foods keep you full and sated for a longer duration in minimal calories. Consequently, a diet rich in fiber is filling inside and doesn’t fill you on the outside.    A study published in February 2015  issue of Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that something as simple as aiming to eat 30 grams of fiber each day can help you lose weight, lower your blood pressure, and improve your body’s response to insulin just as effectively as a more complicated diet.

Fiber is of two kinds: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber gets dissolved, as the food moves through the digestive tract. It slows the rate at which your intestines absorb glucose and cholesterol, which helps in effective management of diabetes and heart diseases. Around 25 percent of the recommended 25 to 30 gram of dietary fiber intake should come from insoluble sources. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to the waste products. It ensures regularity of bowel movements and keeps constipation at bay.

YOU & YOUR FIBER INTAKE

The recommended daily intake for total fiber for adults 50 years and younger is set at 38 grams for men and 25 grams for women, while for men and women over 50 it is 30 and 21 grams per day, respectively, due to decreased consumption of food. To get more fiber in your diet, follow the below mentioned 5 interesting ways.

1. AN APPLE A DAY.

Eat an apple to get the benefits of fiber. Usually, a medium apple has 4g and a large apple has 5g of fiber.  When you eat an apple every day, as an added bonus you get more of vitamin C and potassium.

2. EAT MORE SWEET POTATOES.

Sweet potatoes are often considered as the powerhouse of nutrition. If you consume only a standard size baked sweet- potato, you get 5 g of fiber in only 103 calories. This veggie is even fortified with vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin E, iron and many more essential nutrients to fortify your health.

3. EAT CHICKPEAS TO UP YOUR PROTEIN AND FIBER QUOTIENT.

 A cup of chickpeas contains 12.5 g fiber almost half of the RDI and 19 g protein. Besides, it is rich in vitamins and minerals. Incorporate chickpeas in your diet to lose weight without a fuss. 

4. MAKE FRIENDS WITH BRAN.

 A 1/2-cup serving of oat bran provides a little more than 7 g of fiber.  Oat bran is rich in soluble fiber, which means it turns in gel inside your stomach and delays gastric emptying to keep you full for longer.

5. EAT OATS FOR BREAKFAST.

Rich in soluble fiber oats keeps you sated for a longer duration and offer heart-healthy advantages as well. To get the protein advantage, add milk to oats.

Fiber is a healthy addition to your everyday diet. When you add fiber to your meals as a freebie you get ample dose of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and at times protein too along with it. Just be generous with beans, fruits and veggies and you will easily get fiber in abundance, which not only helps with weight loss but offers heart healthy advantages too.