How does fibre help with weight control?
Dietary fibre is a part of plant foods that is resistant to digestion and is abundant in fruits, vegetables, legumes and grain based foods. Populations that report higher fibre consumption have, on average, lower levels of excess body fat.
There are two main ways that dietary fibre is thought to assist weight loss and weight control, including:
It fills you up – Fibre-rich foods tend to be more satiating per kilojoule due to their relatively low energy density, which can lead to a reduced energy intake. Fibre increases chewing, which promotes fullness by decreasing the rate of ingestion and increasing gastric juices. That explains why you can wolf down a hamburger with a low fibre bun in seconds flat. A feeling of fullness after eating may also help to prevent grazing in between meals.
It slows down digestion – Fibre increases the viscosity of your diet and slows down gastric emptying. If glucose is released slowly into the blood, there is less need for the sugar- and fat-storing hormone insulin. Over the long-term, this could improve insulin sensitivity and even improve fat oxidation, where your body uses a higher proportion of fat as fuel.
The research on fibre and weight loss
A study that was published in 2009 found that as total fibre intake increased, weight and waist circumference decreased for both men and women.
For each 10 gram per day increase in total fibre intake, there was a 39 gram per year reduction in weight, and a 0.08 centimeter per year reduction in waist circumference.
The effects of total fibre, fibre from cereals and fibre from fruit and vegetables were all studied, with cereal fibre having the greatest impact on weight reduction. While these recorded changes were small, they were statistically significant.
The study authors also noted that previous research supports total dietary fibre’s beneficial role in maintaining a healthy body weight, promoting weight loss and preventing weight gain.
Authors of a review published in 2005 highlighted that increased dietary fibre intakes have been associated with a body weight loss of 1.9 kg over 3.8 months, with greater weight loss in more overweight subjects. Fibre intake was from both whole foods high in dietary fibre and from fibre supplements.
How to get more fibre in your diet
People who go on low-kilojoule or low-carbohydrate diets while attempting to lose weight are also susceptible to low fibre intakes. Follow these tips to make sure there’s enough fibre in your diet:
- Have a high fibre breakfast cereal that contains bran. If you don’t like bran on its own, combine it with other breakfast cereals.
- Sprinkle wheat germ, wheat bran, oat bran, barley bran, rice bran or psyllium husks on your breakfast cereal.
- Top your breakfast cereal with fresh fruit for added sweetness instead of sugar
- Substitute some of the meat in your meals with extra vegetables and/or some of the large varieties of legumes.
- Choose brown, wholemeal and wholegrain options for bread, flour, rice and pasta.
- Try to snack on high fibre foods like baked beans, fruit and breakfast cereals
- Eat the skins of fruit and vegetables like carrots, potatoes, apples and pears.
- Eat some raw vegetables, such as carrots, capsicum and celery, in salads or as snacks.
- If you struggle to get enough fibre from your diet, fibre supplements may be beneficial.
References available on request