There’s nothing glamorous about fiber. When we talk about high-fiber foods, visions of bran flakes and other brown, equally bland foods come to mind. But fiber doesn’t need to taste like cardboard to be effective. In fact, you can harness the benefits of fiber for your weight loss journey through a variety of high flavor foods rich in the goodness of dietary fiber. Or if you prefer, you can bypass your taste buds completely and take fiber supplements to get your fill. But before we dig into that, let’s talk about why you need fiber in your diet in the first place, and how fiber helps with weight loss.
What Is Fiber And Why Is It Important?
Fiber is a complex carbohydrate, but don’t be fooled by its carbohydrate classification. Unlike the simple carbohydrates found in white bread and pasta that your body breaks down into sugar to use for fuel, your digestive system can’t break down fiber. Since it can’t be absorbed, it passes through your body undigested. This is a big benefit of fiber for weight loss because the undigested fiber helps you feel full faster, which is helpful for appetite control. High-fiber foods also help keep your digestive system in tip-top condition. For more information, you can read this article about why the source of your carbohydrates matters, and this one about why you should incorporate high-carb meals into your diet.
What Does Fiber Do To Your Body?
If it’s indigestible, it seems counter-intuitive for fiber to have health benefits, but it actually has a lot of benefits. In addition to fiber filling space in your diet, it works like a scrub brush for your digestive system. Because it passes through your body unprocessed, it sweeps your intestines and colon and helps remove buildup and bad gut bacteria that may be lingering, while actually feeding good gut bacteria.
Fiber is fairly fast-moving too, which is how it helps you feel full faster and aids with appetite control. High fiber foods often also have sugars that are absorbed more slowly and so they prevent spikes in glucose in the body. All of these factors contribute to what fiber is really known for...keeping you regular.
High fiber foods often also have sugars that are absorbed more slowly and so they prevent spikes in glucose in the body.
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The Science Behind Fiber and Gut Health
Fiber does more than just help your digestive system function properly. Fiber lowers cholesterol by lowering lipoprotein. Lower cholesterol levels lead to better heart health including supporting healthy blood pressure levels and optimized inflammation response. The sugar-stabilizing effects of fiber in the body can help promote healthy blood sugar levels in healthy individuals. All of these benefits of fiber start in your gut, so having a healthy gut is key for your body to benefit from your fiber intake.
Optimal Gut Health Means Better Results from Fiber Intake
Fiber and probiotics are a power couple when it comes to your overall health. Fiber is a carbohydrate your body doesn’t absorb, and probiotics are good microorganisms you take to help your gut. Combining the benefits of both can give your body the synergistic boost it needs to feel great. That’s where Xyngular Complete Probiotic comes in.* Fiber removes cholesterol, dietary fats, sugar, and other elements that may make it difficult for healthy gut microorganisms to flourish. When you take fiber and probiotics together, it’s like raking your soil before you try to plant your vegetables- everything grows better when there aren’t weeds, rocks, and other debris in the way. The same is true for your gut microorganisms- if the gut isn’t full of extra gunk the good bacteria can flourish, and fiber is like the rake that comes through and removes the gunk.
Is It Good To Eat Fiber Every Day?
We need to eat fiber every day. The recommended amounts of fiber intake are 25 grams of fiber per day for women and 38 grams for men. One study says that most people fall short of this recommendation and only get about 15 grams a day.
While most people fall short of meeting the daily recommended intake goal, it is possible to have too much fiber. Too much fiber does basically the opposite of every good thing fiber does naturally. It can make you feel bloated, give you stomach pains, make you gassy, cause constipation or diarrhea, and can even result in temporary weight gain. While it’s rare to over-consume fiber, it’s helpful to know the signs of when you’ve had too much of a good thing. Your main focus should be on increasing fiber intake and really reaping the benefits of fiber.
Is Fiber Good For Losing Belly Fat?
Stubborn belly fat is a common problem area for people, and while it’s known as that for a reason, it’s not impossible to get rid of. Fiber can actually help tame your tummy area in a few different ways. First, soluble fiber, in other words, fiber that mixes with water, slows down the speed at which digested food is released into the gut. Slowing down the digestive process is a big win for appetite control. Studies also suggest that higher fiber diets cause a greater variety of good gut bacteria and lead to less belly fat.
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What Foods Are High In Fiber?
If you’re looking to add more fiber to your meal plan, there are lots of great-tasting options. Here are a few of the high-fiber foods you can work into your diet to improve your digestive system:
1. Beans
- Navy Beans
- Black Beans
- Lentils
- Kidney Beans
- Chickpeas
- Edamame
- Refried Beans
2. Fruits
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
- Avocados
- Pomegranate Seeds
- Pear
- Apple
- Orange
- Banana
- Dried Figs
3. Vegetables
- Broccoli
- Acorn Squash
- Butternut Squash
- Split Peas
- Collard Greens
- Green Peas
- Parsnips
- Canned Pumpkin
- Artichoke Hearts
- Russet Potato
- Sweet Potato
- Red Potatoes
- Carrots
- Sugar Snap Peas
4. Whole Grains and Seeds
- Popcorn
- Bran Flakes
- Steel-Cut Oats
- Whole Grain Bread
- Whole Grain Pasta
- Bulgur
- Rolled Oats
- Pearled Barley
- Brown Rice
5. Nuts and Seeds
- Almonds
- Pistachios
- Sunflower Seeds
- Chia Seeds
- Flax Seeds
5 Easy Things To Incorporate Fiber Into Your Diet
Most western diets are severely lacking in fiber, so be intentional about getting the right amount of daily fiber. We have some easy tips to help you incorporate fiber into your routine. Don’t worry, you don’t have to do all of these perfectly, just choose one and watch how your body feels after one simple change in your diet.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables, especially those with high fiber content like raspberries, pears, apples (with the skin), bananas, green peas, broccoli, turnips, and brussels sprouts.
- Drink more water. If you’ve ever felt constipated when you increased your fiber intake, it’s because fiber acts like a sponge in the small intestine, which makes it easier for the fiber to move through the small intestine. The large intestine, on the other hand, pulls water from stool to conserve water for the body. If you don’t drink enough water when you increase your intake of fiber, stool may be dry and hard to pass.
- Add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to your morning smoothie. Flaxseed is high in fiber, so you’ll get the fiber benefits right along with your smoothie, and you won’t even taste it.
- Eat more whole grains. Whole grains are minimally processed, leaving the whole grain intact. Refined grains have had the fiber-rich parts stripped away (the germ and bran).
- Snack on nuts and seeds throughout the day. Keep a bowl out on the counter or near your desk. When you are feeling munchy, eat a few of your favorite nuts to add even more fiber to your diet.
What Do Xyngular Cheat and Complete Probiotic Do?
Xyngular Cheat is a good way to get naturally sourced fiber into your diet. We recommend taking it about 30 minutes before a meal. When you take Cheat with water, it expands and creates a gel-like substance in your stomach. Not only does this make you feel full faster so you eat less, but it actually helps mitigate a portion of calories consumed.* Add Xyngular Complete Probiotic and enjoy the one-two punch of a probiotic plus fiber to help your body perform at its peak!
Contact your Xyngular Distributor to find out more about how our products can support your healthy lifestyle, or log in to your Xyngular account and stock up on Cheat and Complete Probiotic today!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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