For those of use trying to maintain or lose weight (and that covers most of us), there may be a simple answer that many of us overlook: getting more fiber in our diets.
The average American gets about 17 grams of fiber a day, but we need much more -- women need 25 grams a day and men need 38 grams.
If getting more fiber is the only dietary change you make, you'll lose weight, according to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine. In the study, dieters who were told to get at least 30 grams of fiber a day, but given no other dietary parameters, lost a significant amount of weight. They lost nearly as much as a group put on a much more complex diet that required limiting calories, fat, sugar and salt and upping fruit, veggie and whole-grain consumption.
The reason? Fiber-rich foods not only fill you up faster and keep you satisfied longer, but they also prevent the body from absorbing some of the calories in the other foods you eat.
Canadian researchers collected data from 21 clinical studies and 940 adults. When individuals incorporated one serving of pulses (beans, lentils or chickpeas) into their daily diet -- without making any other dietary changes -- they lost an average of .75 pounds over six weeks. The findings, printed in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggest that simply adding pulses to your diet can help with weight loss.
A second study, reported in Cooking Light magazine, found that people who doubled their fiber intake to the recommended amount ate 90 to 130 calories less.
A study at the Medical University of South Carolina found that fiber can also help avoid putting pounds back on. The study found people who got more fiber tendered to be learner overall while those who were obese got an average of almost 1 gram a day less fiber than normal-weight participants.
Research at Georgia State University found that mice put on diets lacking in fiber, specifically soluble fiber, the kind found in oatmeal, gained weight and had more body fat compared to those who weren't deficient in soluble fiber. And the mice given adequate soluble fiber resisted fat gain, even when put on a high-fat diet.
Another reason to increase your fiber intake? An analysis of 19 studies found that people who ate more fiber -- at least 26 grams a day -- lowered their odds of getting diabetes by 18 percent, compared to those who consumed less than 19 grams a day.
So what are some good sources of fiber? Oatmeal, bran flakes, blackberries, raspberries, whole wheat bread, pasta and tortillas, avocadoes, black beans, dried figs, peanuts, quinoa, chia, broccoli, baked and sweet potatoes.
A note of caution -- start slowly on this path to more fiber -- or you may experience stomach cramps. Start by increasing fiber by about 5 grams per day and drink plenty of water.
Q and A
Q: Can carb cycling help me lose weight?
A: Carb cycling's roots are in bodybuilding. But it's easy enough for any average Joe, which is perhaps why it's gone mainstream. When you cycle your carb intake, you vary how many carbs you eat throughout the week, which some days being low-carb (2 1/2 to 5 servings) and others high carb (10 to 20 servings). The thinking is that your low-carb days put you in a fat-burning state and eating high-carb boosts your metabolism. Unfortunately, the research on intermittently restricting carbs is almost nil. The bottom line is any diet that cuts calories to these targets usually leads to weight loss. If you want to slim down by cutting carbs, carb cycling may be an easier regime to follow than going low-carb for the long haul. More research is needed, though, to see fi carb cycling is more effective long-term than other calorie-restricted styles of eating. If you decide to try, opt for good-quality carbs (whole-wheat bread, whole grains) and keep your "feast" days sensible. -- Eating Well magazine.
RECIPE
Here's a recipe for a Breakfast-To-Go-Smoothie, from the California Table Grape
Commission, that starts your day with 3 grams of fiber.
Breakfast-To-Go-Smoothie
1 1/2 cups frozen grapes
1 banana, sliced
1/2 cup vanilla or honey-flavored low-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup grape juice
1/4 cup wheat flake cereal
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend for 1 minute. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 251 calories, 6 g protein, 57 g carbohydrate, 1.5 g fat, 3 g fiber, 47 mg sodium.
Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian at Hy-Vee in Springfield, Ill., and the media representative for the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @Nutrition Rd.
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