Fiber can be a potent ally in the fight against fat

Posted April 25, 2010 11:00 pm

What can you do to help lose the cravings and feel full while reducing calories? The answer is surprisingly simple: fiber.

There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is like a sponge; it absorbs excess cholesterol and toxins. Insoluble fiber is like a scrub brush; it "scours" the intestinal tract and colon clean. Both types of fiber are essential for good health.

Fiber does four things to aid weight loss:

• Fiber helps you reduce caloric intake because it curbs your appetite.

There's a powerful hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK) that helps regulate your satiety, the feeling of fullness that stops hunger. The great news is, fiber causes increased production and prolonged activity of CCK. Eating a diet high in fiber will leave you feeling full and satisfied while reducing your caloric intake. Since fiber prolongs the activity of CCK, you'll feel fuller longer and your cravings will diminish.

• Fiber helps reduce the absorption of calories from the food you eat.

A high-fiber diet can bind to calories from protein and fat, helping you lose weight. In a recent study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, researchers set a certain number of calories for subject groups and altered the fiber content. Results demonstrated that fewer calories were absorbed with increased fiber intake. It was found that people who consumed up to 36 grams of fiber a day absorbed 130 fewer daily calories. Over a year, that adds up to over 47,000 calories. 2

Since each pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories, every time you consume 3,500 fewer calories than you need, you will lose one pound.

• Fiber-rich foods are low-energy-density foods. This means that you get to eat a lot of fiber-rich food without consuming a lot of calories.

For example, a bar of chocolate has more calories than a peach that weighs five times more than the chocolate bar. You'll gain more weight and feel less full eating the chocolate than you will the peach. The peach will leave you feeling fuller with fewer calories because the fiber in it takes up more space and makes you feel fuller, longer.

• Fiber slows down your body's conversion of carbohydrates to sugar. This helps stabilize blood glucose levels and helps you lose weight.

Fiber also increases insulin sensitivity, which is the measure of how well cells respond to insulin and reduce the level of glucose. By eating a high fiber diet, over time your body will begin to use the glucose contained in the stored fat; in other words, your body will become more of a natural "fat burning" machine.

These four factors make fiber a fantastic "secret weapon" in the fight against fat.

Increasing your fiber intake

• Eat at least 2 cups of fruits and 2½ cups of vegetables each day. Fruits and vegetables high in fiber include: beans, artichokes, sweet potatoes, pears, green peas, berries, prunes, figs and dates, spinach, apples and oranges.

• Replace refined white bread with 100 percent whole-grain breads and cereals. Eat brown rice instead of white rice. Eat more oatmeal.

• When eating store-bought foods, check the nutrition information labels for the amounts of dietary fiber in each product. Aim for 4 to 5 grams of fiber per serving.

• Add ¼ cup of wheat bran to foods such as cooked cereal, applesauce or meat loaf.

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