Eat Fiber to Support Your Weight Loss Efforts

So you 've decided you want to lose extra weight. Did you know that there is more you can do than counting calories and sweat off the gym? Increasing your fiber intake is a simple way to control your appetite and support your weight loss efforts. Best of all, it helps to balance your diet and improve your health further.

Fiber helps to reduce appetite 

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 after a high-fiber meal. Because whole grains are an excellent source of fiber, your breakfast can help you with hunger for the rest of the day including. In addition , foods that contain fiber often take longer to chew, which allows time for the stomach to signal your brain that you are full.

Fiber reduces the absorption of calories 

A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture all participants to eat the same number of calories with different amounts of fiber. The research found that those who ate the highest amount of fiber consumed less calories than other participants. Consuming 36 grams of fiber per day resulted in absorption of less than 130 calories. This is sometimes referred to as the rinsing effect of fiber.

Fiber stabilizes your blood sugar 

Avoiding spikes and drops in blood sugar is one of your best weapons in controlling your diet. When blood sugar drops it is easy to give in to cravings and reach for foods that will give you a quick boost of sugar. This keeps the cycle of blood sugar in progress.However, stabilization of blood sugar keeps your hunger under control. Fiber helps this by slowing the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar which is absorbed by the bloodstream. Because it is digested slowly, the gradual release of nutrients keeps your blood sugar stable for longer period.

Add more fiber to your diet

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