Nutrition
Farewell Crash Diets: Embrace High-Fiber Foods for Lasting Weight Loss
It’s time to wave farewell to weight loss tactics that depend on severe calorie restriction. These crash diets often lead to weight gain, organ damage, malnutrition, loss of lean muscle mass, gallstones, eating disorders, and more. Instead of focusing on what you can’t eat and sticking to diets that leave you constantly hungry, you can concentrate on the nutritious foods that keep you satisfied, making healthier choices throughout the day. High-fiber foods can be particularly helpful in promoting a feeling of fullness.
Fiber can help curb cravings by keeping you full for longer, slow down gastric emptying, reduce your overall appetite, and prolong the time spent digesting your food. But the benefits of fiber extend beyond these.
Lauren Twigge, RD, the registered dietitian behind Lauren Twigge Nutrition, asserts that “besides helping to manage your weight, there are several other health reasons to eat a fiber-rich diet.” These include promoting heart health, supporting digestive regularity, decreasing the risk of certain chronic illnesses including colon cancer, lowering blood cholesterol, and helping manage blood sugar levels.
Carbohydrates are not the enemy when it comes to weight loss. In fact, consuming healthy whole grains can help keep you full, reducing the likelihood of impulsive eating. Benedict Ang, a fitness, nutrition, and mindset coach for Total Shape, recommends whole grains like oats, brown rice, and quinoa. “They’re packed with fiber and offer a wide range of nutrients, making them a staple in a high-fiber diet.”
Seeds, rich in healthy fats, protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, are often overlooked in the American diet. “Seeds are fantastic toppings for bowls of cereal, salads, or as grab-and-go snacks,” says Twigge. Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and especially flax seeds are great options for adding fiber to your diet.
Chia seeds are another excellent choice for adding fiber, healthy fats, and protein to your diet. Twigge suggests that adding just one ounce of chia seeds to your daily diet would add 9 grams of fiber and 4.5 grams of protein.
Twigge also recommends incorporating more berries into your diet. “Of all the fruits, berries are some of the most fiber-filled!” she tells Best Life. However, not all berries are equal in fiber content. While a cup of blueberries or strawberries has between 3.3 and 3.5 grams of fiber, raspberries and blackberries have between 7.5 and 8 grams of fiber.
Other fiber-rich fruits such as pears, apples, and mangoes are also recommended by experts. “While berries are a go-to fiber source, diced pears are also fiber-filled fruit choices that you could include. One cup of diced pear has around 5 grams of fiber,” says Twigge.
Many dried fruits are also high in fiber content and can aid in weight loss. Twigge suggests eating raisins, prunes, dried apricots, and cranberries, but cautions to find options without added sugar, which can add excessive calories to even small portions.
Fresh vegetables like artichoke hearts, collard greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and spinach are high in fiber and can help manage your weight while enhancing your nutrition. “These veggies are low in calories but high in fiber, making them a perfect addition to your meals,” adds Ang.
Nuts are rich in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and fiber. Studies have found that eating just a handful of nuts can reduce cravings, improve satiety, and lower your overall risk of obesity. Walnuts and macadamia nuts are particularly high in fiber.
Lastly, beans and legumes are excellent weight loss foods that keep you full long after your last bite. “Legumes, such as lentils and chickpeas, are excellent sources of fiber,” says Ang. “They’re not only rich in fiber but also a great source of plant-based protein, which can be incredibly beneficial for weight management.” Whether you opt for black beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans, all have high fiber levels ranging from 9 to 35 grams per cup.
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