Hogging down fibre-rich foods, such as soy milk, yoghurt, breakfast bars, etc may seem like a shortcut to get closer to your nutritional goals, but doing so will not help you lose weight. According to a recent study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition, eating bars that have added fibre for breakfast does not help in decreasing hunger pangs. The research team had also previously found that oatmeal and fruit is more filling compared with a beverage that has been made with the same amount of fibre.
How fibre induces weight loss?
Fibre from fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains takes up space in the stomach preventing one from overeating. Besides, eating foods that are packed with fibre helps in lowering the body’s absorption of calories from carbohydrates. A study done by the U.S. Department of Agriculture study had found that women, who increased their intake of fibre from 12 grams to 24 grams every day, absorbed at least 90 fewer calories in a day compared with those, who ate the same amount of food, but with less fibre.
Foods with fibre
To get the recommended daily allowance of fibre for a healthy body, ensure that these fibre-rich foods charm your plate at breakfast.
Whole grains: According to experts, the fibre that one gets from eating the outer layer of grains helps in curbing hunger. Switch white pasta with whole wheat and white rice for brown rice. A cup of these grains contains 3.5 grams of fibre.
Legumes and beans: Toss beans and legumes in your salad and soup. Not only are beans and legumes rich in fibre, but also protein.
Vegetables: Toss lots of veggies into your salad. Top spinach soup with avocado, artichoke hearts and corn to get you closer to your fibre goals. Ensure that your mealtime sides are veggies. You would only be happy if you include a cup of split peas in your diet because that itself offers 16.3 grams of fibre. [Read: Best Vegetables to Lose Weight]
Fruit salad: Start the day with berries and your favourite fruits. A cup of raspberries has about a third of your daily fibre requirements. If you have a sweet tooth, replace dessert with fruit. A medium-sized pear has about 5.5. grams of fibre. [Read: Can overeating Fruits cause weight Gain?]
How to identify foods with added fibre?
To know when a food has added fibre, look for oat bran, barley bran, pectin, cellulose, gums, soluble corn fibre, polydextrose, fruit extracts, agave, etc on the label.
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