Diet and Weight Loss

 

High-fiber Diets and Weight Loss

How Dietary Fiber Helps Weight Loss

Studies show that most people eat about the same weight of food each day, says Barbara Rolls, PhD, author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan. If you choose high-fiber, water-rich foods — such as broth-based vegetable soups, salads, fruits, and vegetables — instead of foods without fiber and water, you can eat the same weight of food but feel full on fewer calories.

A 2009 study in the journal Appetite compared the satiety or fullness factor of apples, applesauce, and apple juice with added fiber before lunch. People who ate an apple before lunch ate 15% fewer calories than those who ate the applesauce or drank apple juice. This suggests that the fiber in the whole apple was more filling even when compared to the juice that had added fiber.

Beyond the fiber content, crunching and chewing a whole piece of fruit stimulates your senses and takes longer to eat. So psychologically, it may also be more satisfying than beverages or soft foods. Chewing also promotes saliva and the production of stomach juices that help fill the stomach.

Fiber at Breakfast Is a Healthy Weight Loss Habit

In its tracking of the eating habits of successful dieters — those big losers who have kept weight off for years — the National Weight Control Registry has found that most eat breakfast regularly. And cereal is one of their morning rituals.

In general, eating cereal — especially high-fiber cereals — is beneficial for weight loss, says fiber expert Joanne Slavin, PhD, RD, a professor at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul and member of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. “Studies that look at what people eat show those who eat more carbs, more fiber, and cereal in general weigh less than those who eat less fiber, carbs, and cereal.”

 

 

Add Fiber Calories Wisely and Slowly

Slowly adding more fiber to your diet can avoid bloating and gas by giving your body time to adapt. It is also important to drink plenty of liquids while increasing fiber.

Try these tips for adding more low-calorie foods to your meal plan to boost fiber while keeping calories in check:

  • Eat whole fruits instead of fruit juice.
  • Snack on veggies.
  • Make vegetables a main course.
  • Add a filling vegetable salad instead of a starchy salad as a side dish with meals.
  • Enjoy a bowl of vegetable-based broth soup before meals.
  • Start the day with a high-fiber cereal topped with fruit and low-fat dairy.
  • Eat more beans.
  • Make all your grains whole and limit them to a few servings each day.
  • Add nuts and seeds to your weight loss plan, but keep the portions small because they are high in fiber and calories.

Experts are quick to point out that fiber alone won’t peel off the pounds. You still need to eat a healthy, calorie-controlled diet and get regular physical activity. But controlling or maintaining your weight is easier with a diet rich in fiber.

 

The Secrets of Fruits and Vegetables

The first secret of fruits and veggies is simple: they’re nutrient dense. This means that for their weight, most produce is low in calories; so you can eat a lot more when your diet is rich in veggies and fruits — and still not consume a whole lot of calories. Just try that with chocolate!

The second secret: Satiety. All produce, from a juicy pear to a crispy bunch of red lettuce is packed with water and fiber, says Seattle dietitian Kerry Neville, MS, RD, and both of these not only keep the calories down, they make you feel fuller longer. This means you could be satisfying cravings for something sweet or crunchy every day — and still lose weight.

Think about it. Maybe you’re in a 3 p.m. slump and want a snack to get you through to dinner. Which will fill your belly better, a palmful of potato chips with 155 calories, or three cups of whole strawberries with 138 calories? A can of sweetened cola at 136 calories, or a heaping cup of grapes with about the same number? In each case, the produce lets you eat a lot more, fills you up fast, and keeps you full longer.

Fruits and Vegetables: Fresh, Frozen, Canned, or Dried?

So the great news is that fruits and vegetables can give weight loss a real boost. Now the question is, how should you enjoy them: fresh or frozen, canned or dried?

“All of the above,” Gerbstadt tells WebMD. Though local, seasonal produce may have a slight nutrient edge at times, “dried, canned, and frozen fruits and vegetables are usually picked just before peak ripeness and then packaged,”says Gerbstadt, “so you’re really getting very fresh food.”

Fresh and healthy — so long as you avoid the butter sauce or drenching of cheese, say the pros.

The USDA suggests we get two cups of fruit a day, and two and a half cups of vegetables (for a 2,000 calorie diet).

  • Fresh, frozen, or canned fruit and vegetables: “When you’re eating canned fruit, watch out for additions like syrup,” Neville says, “Look for fruit packed in water or juice.”

  • Fruit juices: 100% fruit juice can have more calories per ounce than sweetened soda, and because a lot of its fiber is missing, it also isn’t nearly as filling as fresh fruit. Stick to whole fruits when you can.

  • 100% vegetable juices: Vegetable juices usually have far fewer calories than their fruity kin, but they often pack a sodium wallop, so keep an eye on portions here as well.