Wondering about the connection between dietary fiber and weight loss? Dietary fiber (or "roughage") is the portion of plant foods that your body cannot digest. Even though your body does not utilize it directly, fiber helps to improve satiety (feeling of fullness) and may assist with weight loss, which is important for lowering your cholesterol level.
"There is no 'magic bullet' in the nutrition world, but if you are looking for a specific substance found in certain foods that could potentially help your weight loss efforts, dietary fiber could be it," says Lee T. Murphy, MS-MPH, RD, a media spokesperson for the Tennessee Dietetic Association and an adjunct lecturer at the University of Tennessee. Certainly, it is refreshing to learn that adding certain foods to the diet may actually assist in losing unwanted pounds.
The Numbers
Unfortunately, fiber intake is inadequate for many of us. "The average dietary fiber intake of adults in the United States is less than half of recommended levels; however, many studies suggest that dietary fiber may support weight control when it leads to a decrease in the total amount of calories you eat. Americans should aim for at least 28-35 grams of dietary fiber each day," says Murphy.
Why Fiber Helps with Weight Loss
It may seem curious that adding certain foods to your day could help you lose weight. However, looking a bit more closely at fiber helps us to understand why.
"Foods that supply dietary fiber -- like whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans -- may satisfy your hunger as their 'bulk' fills up your stomach. Foods high in dietary fiber generally supply relatively fewer calories as well. Therefore, eating a 'high fiber diet' can allow an individual to feel fuller on less calories," notes Murphy.
"A great example of how dietary fiber 'fills you up' and can aid in weight loss efforts is to compare eating an entire large orange with drinking two-thirds of a cup of orange juice. Which would keep you fuller for a longer period of time? The whole orange, of course!" points out Murphy. "The dietary fiber in the pulp and inside of the orange provides 'bulk' in your diet and allows you to feel fuller, and therefore eat less. In choosing a whole orange over orange juice, you can help your body to want to eat less calories, while providing more valuable nutrients as well."
Bottom Line
Make fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains a big part of your day to add extra fiber to your cholesterol-fighting weight-loss plan.
Source:
Personal Interview with Lee T. Murphy, 5/29/11.
