Health for life

Eat Fiber to Support Your Weight Loss Efforts - So youve decided you want to shed some extra weight. Did you know theres more you can do than count calories and sweat it off at the gym? Increasing your intake of fiber is a simple way to control your appetite and support your weight loss efforts. Best of all, it balances your diet and further improves your health.

There are a few ways that fiber works to control your appetite. Fiber takes longer to digest, which extends the amount of time that you feel full. Food intake has been shown to be lower following a high-fiber meal. Because whole grains are an excellent source of fiber, including them in your breakfast can help with hunger for the rest of the day. Additionally, foods that contain fiber often take longer to chew, which gives your stomach time to signal to your brain that you are full.

A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture had all participants eat the same number of calories with varied amounts of fiber. The research revealed that those who ate the highest amount of fiber absorbed fewer calories than the other participants. Consuming 36 grams of fiber daily led to the absorption of 130 fewer calories. This is sometimes referred to as the Fiber Flush Effect.

Avoiding spikes and drops in blood sugar is one of your best weapons in controlling your diet. When blood sugar drops it makes it easy to give in to cravings and reach for foods that will provide you with a quick sugar boost. This keeps the blood sugar cycle going.

By contrast, stabilizing your blood sugar keeps your hunger under control. Fiber helps with this by slowing the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar that is absorbed by the bloodstream. Because it is digested slowly, the gradual release of nutrients keeps your blood sugar stable for a longer period.

Its not hard to increase your fiber intake. As an added benefit, foods that contain fiber tend to be low in calories. Try to eat more fruits and vegetables, such as beans, sweet potatoes, peas, berries, and apples. Whole grains, oatmeal, and brown rice are excellent options as well. Wheat bran and flax seeds are very potent sources of fiber, and just a small serving can go a long way to keep you full.

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