Fiber-rich diet assists weight loss

Do you want to cut cravings and lose weight? Eating foods rich in fiber can help you reach your goal. High-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds help fill you up without filling you out. And they're very satisfying. Plus, with so many delicious and slimming foods to eat, you won't tend to reach for fattening sweets or processed junk foods as much anymore.

I'd like to introduce fiber as a weight-watcher's friend.



How fiber works

Fiber functions in several ways to help regulate appetite and hunger. First of all, high-fiber foods require lots of chewing. This slows the pace of eating and makes meals last a little longer.

"Slower eating provides extra time for a complex set of signals in the digestive tract to reach the brain and flip off your appetite switch," say the editors of Prevention magazine's "Fiber Up, Slim Down Cookbook." As a result, you eat less.

When the food you ingest arrives at your stomach, the fiber in it mixes with water to form a thick and heavy gel. "The heaviness tugs downward on the stomach, signaling nerves to send the 'I'm full' signal to the brain," the Prevention editors say.

Finally, as fiber gradually moves through your intestines, it dramatically slows down the pace that your food is broken down into sugar and absorbed into your blood. Steadier blood sugar levels are far less likely to trigger the viscous cycle of cravings, hunger, fat storage and fatigue. In short, it's easier to lose weight and keep it off when you fill up on fiber.



Research findings

How much of a difference can fiber make? Researchers at Tufts University in Boston found that participants who consumed larger amounts of fiber took in about 200 fewer calories a day than those who did not. Those who continued the high-fiber program lost about a third of a pound a week, or 17 pounds a year.

In other studies, participants who combined a high-fiber diet with portion control and exercise did even better. Weight loss with this combination of lifestyle changes averaged about one to two pounds a week. The fiber helped participants to feel satisfied after eating fewer calories, fostering maintenance of weight loss.



Getting enough

Fiber is the tough stuff your body can't digest in plant foods. And it usually comes packaged with plenty of water -- along with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals -- in the form of whole foods. For these reasons, high-fiber foods usually contain fewer calories and greater nutrition compared to the same weight of low-fiber foods.

Fiber creates a sense of fullness. It also lowers cholesterol, reduces blood-sugar spikes and speeds elimination from your bowels. That's why your body needs 25 to 37 grams of fiber a day to lose weight and boost health. Most people get less than half that amount.

The best way to boost your fiber intake? Consume a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Fiber in supplement form isn't the same thing since it doesn't contain the other nutrients of whole foods. For a chart of the fiber content of various foods, go to the Web site of the National Fiber Council listed below.

And to avoid gaseous distention, remember: Anytime you're adding more fiber to your diet, do it gradually and drink plenty of water.

Here's wishing you many delicious and satisfying fiber-filled meals ahead.

For more information: National Fiber Council, www.nationalfibercouncil.org.



Contact Dr. Elizabeth Smoots, a board-certified family physician and fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, at doctor@practicalprevention.com. Her columns are not intended as a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Before adhering to any recommendations consult your health care provider.

© 2008 Elizabeth S. Smoots