Determine the Connection Between Weight Loss and Fiber
May 6th, 2010
When discussing nutrition, you often hear “eat fiber, it’s good for you”. But fiber is a carbohydrate and those are supposed to be bad, or at least severely limited. Does fiber help you lose weight?
Fiber is a carbohydrate. It contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen but fiber is not broken down during the digestion process. Simple carbs (sugars) and complex carbs (starches) break down during digestion, which releases energy that the body needs to function. Fiber is different than regular carbohydrates and is better for you.
Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve but instead adds to the bulk of your stool as it goes through your system. This means you are less likely to be constipated. Fiber goes through your digestive system quickly, sending signals to your brain saying you are full. Insoluble fiber is found in wheat bran, whole wheat flour, nuts, and vegetables.
Soluble fiber, by contrast, does dissolve in water and so forms a type of gel that makes its way through the digestive system. As a result it helps regulate blood glucose levels. On route it helps cleanse the tract of bacteria. Soluble fiber is part of a wide variety of foods, including oats and barley, carrots and peas, apples and citrus fruit, and beans.
A high fiber diet helps decrease the odds of heart disease by lowering LDL cholesterol (the undesirable type). It slows the absorption of sugar contained in food consumed, which helps smooth out any spikes. That helps improve a number called the Glycemic Index, one key to a healthy diet according to some diet programs such as the South Beach Diet. Controlling blood glucose levels has another beneficial effect, according to many studies. Insulin levels are related to blood glucose levels. Excess glucose over long periods increases the odds of acquiring Type 2 diabetes. A high fiber diet can help decrease those odds.
Because fiber is not broken down, it adds bulk without calories. That contributes to a feeling of fullness without the accompanying potential for storing excess calories as fat. Thus, it is a significant factor in any weight loss program. There is no official RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for fiber as there is for many other nutritional components. But official sources put the desirable amount at roughly 25 grams per day. The average consumption is often much lower, around 15 grams per day.
One study done at the University of Massachusetts Medical School found that people that got around 22 grams or more of fiber a day were 63% less likely to have an unhealthy CRP (C-reactive protein) levels. CRP contributes to heart disease and diabetes.
In summary, while fiber is good for you, it may not be as important as some people say. There is evidence that a diet high in fiber leads to a healthy life. Talk to your doctor about the any changes in your diet.
Find out more about fiber and weight loss at www.HealthHints.org. Visit Shawn Onseo’s site to understand more about free health tips on weight loss, fitness, nutrition and more.
Originally posted 2010-03-10 02:21:38. Republished by Old Post Promoter
Related posts:
- Fighting Your Appetite With Hoodia Recent studies done by Cambridge University have revealed that blood glucose plays important role in appetite regulation of the body. Simply speaking, it helps our bodies to decide, whether we are hungry or not....
- Losing Weight Using Acai Berry Diets Acai berry is a fruit that grows in the Amazon rain woodlands. Acai Berry is one of the best weight loss colon cleaners in the global markets. This impressive drug is 100% Acai supplement that renders huge health gains to your physical structure. It is widely known for its fast, safe and effective result all across the globe. However, it became hot in the west only a few years ago when it was publicized in numerous TV shows, newspapers and magazine articles....
- Best Paths To Lose Belly Fat – 7 Tips For Flat Belly Lots of fat people have that excess fat stored near their belly region. Its hard to dispose of that belly fat simply....
- A Good Losing Weight Secret: Calories Burned Without Strenuous Exercise Regimens! Practically everyone in America seems to be on a diet. But in spite many diet programs, we still have alarming obesity statistics. I think it is time to put enormous efforts to lose weight and keep it off. Any doctor will tell you that a successful diet program boils down to calories consumed and calories burned. [...]...
- How To Achieve Stomach Fat Loss Most men and some female body types tend to put on weight around the stomach area. This is a problem since not only do people not like to feel overweight, but carrying weight on your stomach can be a health risk. For your health, appearance and confidence levels you should do something about making stomach weight loss your priority....
- How To Lose Weight Naturally Is opting to lose weight naturally a hard task? Does it take a lot of time? Do you think you have the patience to withstand such a process? Have you tried it before? A majority of the people who try to lose weight go through very rigorous exercises only to end up frustrated. Taking only one meal to following a tight diet plan, are some of the frustrations that they undergo to see some pounds shed. Could there be a way to ensure you lose weight naturally?...
- Tips To Loss Weight Here's the best way for you to lose weight, What is with of all the method's out there? Millions of people have this problem. Carb diets are out there, but they don't always work the way they say they will. Instead, by eating this type of diet you rob your body of vitamins and minerals.With having nothing to do with your will-power, over- eating or the right diet! What is in your body?...
- Certainly not That Low-Carb Diet! Just before you believe that low-carbohydrates diet would keep you from getting fat, much better think again and weigh things up for your self. There's indeed a misunderstanding within the arena of dieting that one must get rid of the carbohydrates-rich food group. We just do not realize that these food included in carbohydrates' circle are the major source of energy that we need to keep up with the hard work we do every day....
- Looking for the Best Way to Lose Weight? – Then Read This A woman goes through several stages in life. One of the stages that she faces in the latter part of her life is menopause. Menopause could change a woman's life in months and it is not something that she feels happy about. Why so? Let's take a closer look at this....
- Encounter The Nutrients Of The Acai Berry Since it is being touted as one of the world's "superfoods" the acai berry (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) has been proclaimed to be a miracle food for weight loss, anti-aging, cancer prevention and more....
Categories: weight loss
